GPS track and field championships - senior and junior records tumble at sensational meets
GPS junior track and field championship history; eight records tumble at senior championship as Nudgee and IGS tussle for the title.
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Brisbane Grammar School has won its first GPS track and field junior championship by a mere one and a half points, while twice 40-year-old plus records tumbled in a dramatic senior championship bout won by Nudgee.
In the juniors BGS (620) held on to win over a fast finishing Nudgee (618.50), while in the seniors Nudgee College (489) just beat Ipswich Grammar School (483.50) to win back the championship.
PICTURE GALLERY: GPS JUNIOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
PICTURE GALLERY: GPS SENIOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Last year the senior championship margin was five points when IGS won, this year it was 5.5 points, with Nudgee’s win across the last four field events proving to be the difference.
Final standings in the seniors:
1. Nudgee 489
2. IGS 483.50
3. TSS 329
4. Churchie 329
Then came BSHS 328, BBC 323, BGS 314.50, TGS 288, Terrace 281.
After all the excitement of the six records falling during a historic junior meet, the GPS senior championship featured eight records - two each to Seth Mahony (1500m, 3000m, BBC) and Gout Gout (100m, 200m, IGS).
Mahony’s 1500m record beat a 44-year-old high water mark set by 1982 Commonwealth Games finalist Brett Crew. Crew had set the GPS record running for Churchie in 1979.
Then, soon after, young giant of the track Gout Gout beat a 42-year-old record in his 200m dash (21.09secs) previously held by S Glover (TSS).
In all there were eight records tumbling during an action packed championship.
GPS senior records
+ Seth Mahony (BBC) broke a 44-year-old record set in 1979 by Brett Crew (Churchie) in the Open 1500m. He ran 3:48.55
+ Tate Van Camp (BSHS) sliced three seconds off the 13 Years 1500m previous best time, recording 4:13.89
+ Seth Kennedy (BGS) was magnificent in his 15 Years 200m record breaking display
+ Gout Gout (IGS) ran 21.09, pipping the previous record set in 1981 by S Glover (TSS)
+ Sean Putra-Susilo’s record run for Nudgee then continued the drama in his 15 Years Hurdles, taking .03secs off the old mark set in 2014.
+ Jonathan Kasiano (IGS) broke the 15 years 100m record in 10.69secs, although he was favoured by an illegal tail wind.
+ Gout Gout (IGS) broke the open 100m record set 12 months ago by Rory Easton (Churchie). Gout Gout ran 10.40secs, although he was also favoured by an illegal tail wind.
+ BBC’s Seth Mahony (8:25.31) garnished the championship with a 3000m Open record.
For the second successive year, the champinonship came down to a relay shoot out between reigning champions - Ipswich Grammar School - and Nudgee College.
There was plenty of fight in Nudgee as well, with Turner, Wain, Cameron and Williams combining to elevate their school into first place in the gruelling All Ages 4x400m.
Nudgee then got maximum points in the 4x100m 13 Years relay, with IGS second. but it was IGS beating Nudgee in the 14 Years. Could it get any closer?
Nudgee then returned serve in the 15 Years, beating IGS, but IGS won again in the 16 Years.
However, in the final event of the night, Terrace caused a boilover to snare a shock 4x100m win - with Harrison, Curtain, McMahon and Faulkner bringing home the spoils. What a win.
Nudgee then finished second to Brisbane Grammar School in the Open 4x400m, with BGS’s foursome of Raad, Love, Stevens and Mackintosh proving too strong after an inspiring third leg push.
In 3000m action, Mahony somehow found the energy to not only win, but win in record time for BBC.
Earlier, not long after the championship started, Tate Van Camp (BSHS) had sliced around three seconds off the old mark in winning the 13 Years 1500m, gliding effortlessly to victory.
Nudgee’s Turner finished strongly for second, inching out IGS’s Max Backwell who gave his all. You can’t ask for more than that.
Could the 1500m get better than this? The answer was yes because in the Open 1500m BBC’s Mahony ran a new record time of 3:48.55.
Mahony ran himself to the point of exhaustion, before being hoisted to his feet by fellow competitors and then embraced by BBC head coach Jayden Russ.
Mahony had been pushed into the home straight by TSS’s Bouwneester who played his role in helping Mahony reach record breaking pace, but over the last 80m it was just a race between Mahony and the clock - which Mahony won.
The dust continued to be blown off old record books, with Gout Gout’s dazzling burst of speed blitzing the field in the Open 200m - just minutes after Seth Kennedy’s withering burst in the 15 Years 200m which was a new GPS record.
And almost lost in the drama was TGS’s Nick Denny upsetting the apple cart with an outside lane, upset win in his 16 Years 200m event.
Denny raced from the track to join his school mates in a war cry celebrating his victory. It was great stuff.
There was also a 1500m 14 Years mini classic when Alex Wain (Nudgee) fought off Tom Nealon (BBC) in a dramatic tussle down the home straight.
It was a terrific sporting battle, with two top notch athletes giving their all and dragging the rest of the field along for the ride.
Then came another rip-roaring 15 Years 1500m clash between the winner, Dakota Stewart (IGS) and Archie Boorer (BGS), with BSHS’s Sonny Adam third.
Boorer led and tried to then go with a surging Stewart, but Stewart had more in reserve for the sprint.
Nudgee’s Ned Curran had the 16 Years 1500m all to himself.
You could have stopped the champinoship there and then and been satisfied with given all the thrills and spills across the first hour of the meet.
All this after the GPS senior championship started in the most stylish of fashion, with Churchie’s Jack Love a polished performer to claim the gruelling 400m hurdles from gutsy Jo Saunders (BBC). In third position was IGS’s Flynn Purcell.
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When the hurdles swung around, IGS went back to back, with Daniel De Swardt (13 Years) and Henry Purcell (14 Years) having nice wins.
Putra-Susilo’s record run for Nudgee then continued the drama in his 15 Years hurdles, while Zane Eldridge (TSS) and Taj Gordon (TGS) went head to head in a high class open hurdles race.
Eldridge won, but Gordon was close before clipping the last hurdle. The 16 Years was claimed by Harrison Purcell (IGS), making it a double for the Purcell brothers.
The 800m was a series of grand events.
They kicked off with Jerome Meili (Terrace) storming away from the pack to win in the 13 Years, while Tom Nealon (BBC) was very impressive in his 14 Years event.
Dakota Stewart was as strong as an ox in winning the 15 Years for IGS, beating Archie Boorer who bravely ran on for BGS.
Kobi Griffiths’ startling 16 Years victory was next, beating an impressive field which included Curran who finished second.
And finally Bouwmeester took off like a scalded cat on the bend into the home straight and was never headed. It was a bold move which paid off.
The 100m sprinters were favoured by an illegal tail wind, but regardless IGS pair Gout Gout and Kasiano, as mentioned earlier, broke meet records.
The 100m dash was also a great moment for BBC’s Clay Andrews (16 Years) and Terrace’s Vince Faulkner (14 Years) who scorched home in first place.
The 400m events saw a triple treat for Terrace’s Faulkner, who went shoulder to shoulder with Anstey down the straight, before raising his arm in triumph at crossing first. This kid has plenty of grit, as well as ability.
BGS sprint star Kennedy then held his form over the 400m distance, running away from the field to in his 15 Years event from Nudgee’s Irankeje. It was some performance.
Adam Beiers then had a terrific win for Churchie in the 16 Years, making it a race in one as he roared down the home straight, wind and his powerful leg drive carrying him to the line.
He has some good competition to beat - including second placed Max Durrington (TSS) - but Beiers did it in style.
Then the last event before the relays - the open 400m - unfolded into one of the battles of the night.
Nudgee’s James Swao claimed the victory, but gosh, wasn’t it hard earned as Gout Gout wound up down the straight and threatened to overall him.
Swao must have heard his footsteps coming, and then caught vision of him over his left shoulder, but Swao lifted in the final metres to snare a very well deserved victory.
Earlier, at the JUNIOR track and field championship, BGS had a glorious, historic victory.
Nudgee College were aiming for a fifth successive win, but BGS crashed the party, securing its first win since the inception of GPS junior competition in 2014.
BGS at one stage led well, but Nudgee made its move in the 12 Years 100m events, winning six of eight events which dragged them closer to BGS just ahead of the relays.
It was appropriate the last event of the junior championship came down to a sprint to the line between Nudgee College and BGS, given they were the top two for much of the meet.
HOW THEY FINISHED
1. BGS (620)
2. Nudgee (618.50)
3. Churchie (549)
Then came BBC (476.50), IGS (434), TSS (417), Terrace (394), TGS (350), BSHS (234).
THE RECORDS
And in a golden start to the championships, it only took a few minutes before the first GPS record was claimed - by Ryder Wilson of Ipswich Grammar School in the Div 1 10 years. Williams hit the line in 13.97secs.
More records soon followed:
+ Jonte Tukuafu was fabulous in breaking two records (11 Years). The Ipswich Grammar School field athlete won the shot put (15.45m) and also the discus (42.44m), with his discus throw beating the previous mark by almost 10m
+ in the 12 Years Div 1 hurdles when BGS’s Dal Ekeocha recorded 12.81secs
+ Harry Chrzescijanski (IGS) in the 10 years discus with a throw of 33.82m
+ J Lambert of BSHS equalled the 12 Years high jump
The Southport School started off a marathon event program by winning the first race just after 8am when mighty mite Mohavi Broadbent finished like a train to win his 10 Years Div 2 hurdles.
As mentioned earlier, the Div 1 10 years was claimed by Wilson of Ipswich Grammar School who had a compelling win in record time.
Wilson smashed the previous mark by Charles Lope (14.44 seconds), but Lopes still had a smile on his face when, minutes later, he captured the 11 Years Div 1 80m hurdles win.
The Div 2 11 years event was also won by Churchie’s Edward Potter.
The cream rose to the top in the 12 Years Div 1 hurdles when BGS’s Ekeocha claimed his record, using his long legs to power over the line in 12.81 - a most convincing win.
Ryder Wilson great start to the meet continued when he won the 10 years 200m for Ipswich Grammar School while Brisbane Boys College’s Lawson Hough had a splendid victory in his Div 2 200m.
Lopes (Churchie) continued his winning streak, capturing the Div 1 200m while Kiyan Jayasuriya got the job done in Div 2, fighting ever so hard all the way to the line for Brisbane Boys College.
The spirit of the day was never better captured than in the 200m Div 2 12 Years event when Hunter Burgess (Churchie) pipped Ekeocha (BGS) for the win.
They crossed the line together, and before they had eased down on their run, Burgess extended his hand to congratulate second placed Ekeocha on a tremendous tussle while the pair were still moving.
When the Div 1 200m 12 Years swung around, it was Nudgee’s Flynn Lane who won the day.
Churchie consolidated its position on the points table with rousing wins in the 10 years 800m events, capped by Winston Rogers’ victory in the Div 1.
That followed wins by Michael Smee and Nate Keily in Div 3 and 4 respectfully.
BGS’s William Himstedt broke Churchie’s run with victory in Div 2.
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In the 11 Years 800m, St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace broke through for its first win on the track following an almighty performance by Lachlan King
King was enormous in the 11 Years Div 1, running himself to a standstill before squad mates rushed onto the track to greet him.
His performance would have given a boost to the entire Terrace track and field outfit.
The Southport School’s cheer squad was also up on its feet, roaring both William Pask (Div 3) and Elijah Jacobs (Div 2) to the line in their 11 years middle distance races.
Brisbane State High School hit the jackpot in the 12 Years 800m events, winning three in a row. Szakaly (Div 4), Jobbins (Div 3) and Camacho (Div 2) all broke the tape first in a show of strength for the school’s middle distance program.
What did those wins indicate? That BSHS would be a powerhouse in the Div 1 - and they were, although second placed Hillardt was not good enough to prevent BGS’s Hayden Haung storming to victory.
In third position was a gallant Terrace runner, Benjamin Hooper.
Ryder Wilson (IGS) continued his day out, bursting clear and holding on to claim the 100m dash from a gutsy Oscar Jones (Nudgee) who left nothing in the tank.
Churchie were third behind BGS and Nudgee entering the 11 Years 100m sprints, but made their move.
Churchie’s Lachlan Field was strong in palming off Nudgee’s Omany (Div 7), while and also won the Div 6 (Edward Potter), Div 5 (Rafferty L’Estrange), Div 3 (Jack North) and Div 1 courtesy of young star Lopes.
In between BGS’s Walker Seccombe won Div 2 and Nudgee’s Saxon Croucamp Div 4.
But Nudgee hit back hard in the 12 Years sprints, winning six of eight events.
Lane claimed Div 1, but before him Lucas Cameron (Div 2), Lachlan Moore (Div 4), Maverick Sternes (Div 5) and Oliver Burrows (Div 6) all had wins.
The Nudgee sequence of victories was broken by Nicholas Bourne (BGS) winning the Div 3.
Nudgee then finished with relay wins in the 4x100m 12 years Div 1 and Div 2, while BGS (Div 1, 10 Years) and Churchie (Div 2-1, 11 Years) had victories.
The winning BGS team was McFarlene, Platz, Kruger and Jaydon Patten as the anchor.
Churchie’s winning relay teams were L’Estrange, Potter, Field and Maloney (Div 2, 11 Years) and Lopes, McGuire, North and O’Connor (Div 1, 11 Years).
Nudgee’s winning relay side was Moore, Gibbons, Rawlings and Purchase (Div 1, 12 Years) and Herrera, Zillman, Burrows and Sternes (Div 2, 12 Years).
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