GPS track and field junior and senior championships
Ten records tumbled and there was a dead heat during dramatic GPS track and field junior and senior carnivals on Friday. Full coverage, plus pictures, here.
Local sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
St Joseph’s Nudgee College claimed the GPS track and field junior carnival and Ipswich Grammar School the senior championship, while three sprinters produced remarkable senior championship performances today at the Queensland Sport and Athletics centre.
Senior 100m sprinters Rory Easton (Churchie, 10.46 seconds) and Ashley Wong (Nudgee, 10.51) both surpassed the previous open GPS record for the 100m dash, while Ipswich Grammar School’s Gout Gout announced himself with a 16 years 100m time of 10.76. All those sprint events came on a rain sodden surface.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A MEGA PIC GALLERY FROM BOTH CARNIVALS
Adding to the drama, there was a dead heat in the 110m open hurdles between Easton (Churchie) and TSS’s Zane Eldridge who both recorded 14.04 seconds.
The senior championships was won by Ipswich Grammar School (480.50) in a thriller from Nudgee College (475).
The senior championship came down to the relays, the final events of the night.
Indeed so close was it, Ipswich Grammar School’s Israel Leoto thought his placing as anchor in the final 4x100m relay would not be enough to secure IGS its third championship in four years.
But disappointment turned to elation soon after the race when IGS were announced winners.
The other placings were Churchie (367), TSS (346), BBC (345.50), BSHS (338), BGS (301), TGS (299) and Terrace (209).
Earlier in the day Nudgee College, junior winners since 2019, amassed 694.50 points during the junior carnival to defeat Brisbane Grammar School (547) from Churchie (544), BBC (479) and Ipswich Grammar School (465.50). In sixth position was Terrace (436), followed by TSS (363), TGS (348) and BSHS (228).
The junior carnival was the lead-up to the afternoon’s senior championship.
The junior carnival was a meet which saw seven records tumble on a dry track in the morning session before rain swept in.
In the junior carnival earlier in the day, Charles Lopes (Churchie) claimed the first record of the meeting, a thumping performance in the 80m Div hurdles when he finished in 14.44 seconds.
Records flowed when Felix Birchall (BSHS, 12 Years Div 1) stormed past the winners post in 12.99 secs, while BGS’s Daluchi Ekeocha (12.74) was a record breaker in the 11 Years Div 1 hurdles.
And for five minutes BGS’s Isiah Mazzocchi (Div 3, 11 years 80m hurdles) was a record holder before it was eclipsed by schoolmate Ekeocha’s blazing run.
The records continued in the 800m, with Brisbane Grammar School’s Hayden Huang producing a burst of 2:20.04 in the 800m Year 11 Div 1.
Then BSHS’s Tate Van Camp (Div 1, 12 years 800m) won his event in a GPS record 2:09.44.
The seventh junior carnival record of the day was the 12 years 4x100m relay effort from BSHS.
The other three records fell during to the senior championship - and Ashley Wong’s second placing time in the 100m also went past the old mark, so it could have been eleven records.
Before Easton and Wong’s amazing 100m battle which finished in a record, it was Nudgee’s pair Alex Wain and Ethan Grimshaw who lit up a gloomy afternoon with GPS record winning efforts.
Wain GPS record win came in a blazing 1500m time in 4:16.69, while Grimshaw exploded in the 200m (14 years) to win in a senior GPS record time of 22.06.
RELATED LINKS
AUSTRALIAN COACH JOINS BBC CRICKET FIRST XI
During the junior carnival, Nudgee always had their nose in front.
By midmorning, across the first 42 events, Nudgee (283.50) led Churchie (239) from Brisbane Grammar School (236) and Brisbane Bus College ((210.50), setting foundations for a gala day of action.
And then by event 60 Nudgee (435.50) were still in front from BGS (379) and Churchie (371).
Brisbane Grammar School’s Seccombe claimed the first event of the day in the Div 2 80m 10 years hurdles, beating Harry O’Connor (Churchie) and Charlie McDermott (Terrace), while in the Div 1 10 years Lopes (Churchie) got the job done in record time.
Brisbane Grammar School’s Ekeocha (Div 1, 11 years 80m hurdles) exploded away from the field to win his event, while Tallen Chambers (Div 4, 10 years) claimed Ipswich Grammar School’s first win in his event, winning despite collecting four of the hurdles on the way.
BGS’s Mazzocchi also snared maximum points for his school in the Div 3 10 years hurdles with, what at a time, was a GPS record in that age group.
There was a moment of redemption in the boys 12 years Div 2 hurdles when Churchie’s Levi Vaizie pushed himself over the last hurdle and sprinted to the line to win.
Just 12 months earlier Vaizie was leading in his race, but clipped the final hurdle and missed winning, so today’s win was that little bit more special.
Brisbane State High School got on the board early with a splendid win by Birchall in the Div 1 12 years hurdles.
Lopes was at it again, winning for Churchie in the 10 Years Div 1 200m, but the race of the day so far was the 10 years Div 2 200m tussle between Max Porter (Nudgee) and Walker Seccombe (BGS).
Both boys pushed each other to the line in a photo finish thriller, with Porter prevailing – but only just.
RELATED LINKS
HOW THE GPS FIRST XV SEASON FINISHED
HOW THE GPS FIRST XI SEASON FINISHED
WHO WON THE GPS SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP
Nudgee also claimed the Div 4 10 years with Braxton Cummins winning, while Nudgee were first past the post again in the 10 Years Div 3 200m courtesy of Angus Irwin who pulled clear of Terrace’s Charles Walker.
In the Div 2 11 years 200m, Nudgee’s Flynn Lane (second) brought the best out of Ipswich Grammar School’s Buol Buol, pushing Buol all the way down the home straight.
Buol was magnificent in responding to Lane’s challenge, rising in the final 10m to win.
Nudgee’s Hudson Heathcote was another class performer in the Div 1 200m, claiming victory in the 11 years.
Brisbane State High School then launched a stunning run of wins across the 11 and 12 years 200m events, including Tate Van Camp’s win in the 12 years Div 1, Isaac Kiu’s victory in the Div 2 and Troy Mandla’s win in the Div 3.
Van Camp, who is fast gathering a reputation as a leading 800m and 1500m runner, burst clear to win the Div 1.
Nudgee College then returned serve with three successive wins in the 10 years 800m – Max Porter (Div 3), Angus Irwin (Div 2) and Will Zillman (Div 1).
Earlier, a roaring Terrace supporter group had cheered loudly as Jack McLennan launched Terrace the Brave to victory in the opening 800m event of the meet (Div 4, 10 years).
The 11 years 800m events were triumphs for BGS, as Grammar’s Hayden Huang did a great job winning the Div 1 in record time after his schoolmate Mazzocchi had crossed first in the Div 2, beating Churchie’s Joel Trouchet to the line.
In the Div 3 800m Churchie’s Archie Jackson snared maximum points for his school.
When the 12 years 800m event swung around, it was BSHS who drew first blood, winning the Div 4 courtesy of AJ Fleming, while his mates Huang (BSHS, Div 3) and Rose (Div 2) backed him up with wins.
But the big highlight for BSHS came when Tate Van Camp won the Div 1 in record time (1:09.44).
Van Camp has been in great middle distance form this season and his win continued that momentum.
The cream rose to the top in the 100m when Charles Lopes (Churchie) completed another victory in the 10 year boys.
This was after Terrace (Kerwin), Nudgee (Tamati) and Porter (Nudgee) had claimed the fourth, third and second division events respectively.
In the 11 years 100m dash, Nudgee’s Lane had another win in a blanket finish in the Div 1 race.
Marcus Strewlow (Nudgee) and Buol Buol (IGS) hit the line together in a ripper of a Div 2 sprint, but there was no doubting Heathcote’s victory in the Div 3.
Earlier TSS claimed the 11 years Div 6 (Holtsbaum) and Div 5 wins (Holland), and BBC (Page) the 11 years 100m Div 4.
BSHS’s Isaac Kiu then made it two sprint first placings following his earlier 200m effort, winning the coveted 12 years 100m dash.
In the GPS senior track and field championships, Churchie’s Jack Love and Brisbane Grammar School’s Alex Thakur got the carnival off to a cracking start in the gruelling 400m All Ages hurdles.
Love prevailed, but was forced all the way to the line by the younger athlete Thakur who ran on the inside lane.
Then came the first record of the senior meet - in only the second event - when the classy Alex Wain (Nudgee) ran with precision over the 13 years 1500m to win in a new GPS best time of 4:16.69 - beating a big hearted Ethan Huang (BGS).
Then came one of the races of the day in the 14 years 1500, when Dakota Stewart (IGS) climbed over the top of BGS’s Archie Boorer to win in a time which was just outside a GPS record.
Boorer was magnificent and looked the winner, but Stewart lifted 30m from home and won the sprint to the line.
Could GPS track and field enthusiasts wish for three better races to start the meet? Absolutely not would be the answer.
The 15 years 1500m was another mini classic, with a pack of five taking the boys down the back straight as Churchie, Nudgee, BSHS, BBC and IGS, with Churchie’s Noah Tyne putting his arms to his face and looking skyward in celebration as he crossed the line in first position.
Seth Mahony then produced a blinding win in the 16 years, punching his fist in triumph toward the BBC faithful in a victory salute 25m from home.
And just when you thought you had seen it all in the 1500m, The Southport School’s Harry Bouwmeester produced a remarkable sprint finish to out-dash Churchie’s Lachlan Cornelius.
It was like a 100m sprint down the straight - except the boys had already run 1400m, and in the end Bouwmeester blasted his way clear.
Later the pair were to clash again in the 800m.
When the 200m races started, Nudgee’s Ethan Grimshaw set the place alight with a GPS record time of 22.06 in the 14 years. It was a scorching run on a wet track.
TSS’s Blake Byers then impressed with his slick 15 years 200m win, while St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace’s Vincent Faulkner gave the Red army plenty to cheer about with his win in the 13 years.
With a high leg action Gout Gout then ignited Ipswich Grammar School’s campaign with a thundering 200m (16 years) win.
The high class action just kept coming with the old professional, Nudgee’s Ashley Wong, hanging on to beat Rory Easton (Churchie) in a high class field.
Wong looked the winner, but died on his run as Easton closed late, only for Wong to find enough to get to the finish in 21.06.
The hurdles competition started with a booming performance from Thomas Purcell (TSS, 13 years), and it became the Purcell and Co. show when his older brother Harry (15 years) also won his hurdles.
In the 16 years BBC’s Rhys Evans saluted the crowd close to home to celebrate his victory, while the 14 years was won by Nudgee’s Sean Putra-Susilo.
And the 110m open hurdles was a thriller, with Easton (Churchie) and Eldridge (TSS) needing a photo to decide the finish. After some deliberation, the race was declared a dead heat, with both boys recording 14.04 seconds.
Nudgee’s Wain all class in the 800m, breaking the opposition early and striding away in the 13 years event.
But BSHS’s Butler showed promise in finishing second, and as he gets older and stronger he will be a nice competitor to Wain across future GPS championships. BGS’s Huang was third.
Nudgee hit the winners post first again in the 14 years 800m, with Oscar Irankeje elite with his finishing burst.
TSS’s Max Durrington also shone brightly to claim the 15 years 800m, while Brisbane Boys College’s Rayner could not contain his joy in the 16 years. With the finish line looming, he pumped the air in a motion which had the BBC crowd roaring.
The open 800m was another thriller between TSS’s Bouwmeester and Churchie’s Lachlan Cornelius, with Bouwmeester winning the ding-dong middle distance battle in almost identical fashion to an earlier clash between the pair in the 1500m.
It was a real battle of will and energy as the boys went up the straight in what was a great race.
When the lights took over on a gloomy afternoon, it was St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace sprinter Faulkner who emerged from the darkness, a flash of red standing out against the darkening skies.
Faulkner’s win continued his winning ways, as he ignited the retro-rockets to blast to the 100m 13 years titles - his second win of the day.
Nudgee College then nailed the 14 years with Ethan Grimshaw winning again - this time in the 100m.
The Southport Schools’s Blake Byers then wound up and let it rip with his withering 100m sprint, rolling his left fist in joy as he burst clear of the field to finish well ahead of his nearest rival.
But nothing compared to what followed.
On a soaking track, senior 100m sprinters Rory Easton (Churchie, 10.46 seconds) and Ashley Wong (Nudgee, 10.51) both surpassed the previous open 100m dash.
It took a GPS record to topple Wong.
As was the case in the 200m, Wong led only for Easton to came hard at him on the line.
But unlike the 200m when Wong hung on, Easton finished slightly over the top of Wong.
And while Ipswich Grammar School’s Gout Gout did not do a PB or a GPS record, his 16 years 100m time of 10.76 was blistering.
That 16 years record is held by Xavier Savage, the Canberra Raiders fullback, who ran 10.50 seconds in 2018 while attending BBC.
Gout Gout continued to have success, this time in the 400m 16 years event which he outlasted Churchie’s high class Jack Love to win.
One of the last events of the night, the 3000m, was claimed by big hearted BSHS’s Joseph Saunders from Churchie’s Archie Ridgway who gave his all in his final run for the college.
Maroons’ raiders flood SG Ball, Harold Matthews junior reps
Who were the Maroons’ raiders embedded deep in enemy territory playing in the SG Ball and Harold Matthews competitions? Revealed here, along with Queensland’s best female teens at Sydney clubs.
AIC First XI cricket players to watch as new wave of talent strikes comp
The AIC First XI cricket returns on Saturday when reigning premiers Iona College host cross-town rivals Marist in an early season blockbuster. Check out the Players to Watch from all eight colleges here.