NSW All Schools Championships: Rising stars of athletics to watch out for
They are our Generation Next of Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games athletes. Some of the young guns expected to shine at the NSW All Schools championship this week.
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They are young, extremely gifted and expected to turn heads at the NSW All Schools in Sydney from today until Thursday.
These are some of our rising stars of NSW track and field to watch out for as they compete at an event that has been a breeding ground for our top athletes for decades.
We have already spoken to young speedster Rashid Kabba FULL STORY, sprinter Emma LeeFULL STORY and Ashlyn BlackstockFULL STORY, but here are a few more young guns to keep your eye on at the meet according to NSW Athletics experts.
EMILY SMITH (STELLA MARIS COLLEGE MANLY)
Emily, from Collaroy, is competing in the 19 years 400m hurdles.
This northern beaches athlete burst onto the scene 12 months ago when she clocked a 60.20 at Interclub.
Emily then backed up with a time of 61.03 at the NSW All Schools – the third fastest in the history of the championships and only bettered by Olympian pair Jana Pittman and Sarah Carli.
Over summer she combined athletics with touch football and made the NSW 18 years merit team.
CHARLIE JEFFRESON (THE KINGS SCHOOL)
This 17-year-old from Hunters Hill competes in the 800m and who has been making rapid gains in recent times. At the start of last summer he had a PB of 1:53.39. By the end of it she had run six sub 1:50 times to be the second fastest under-18 800m athlete in Australian history with 1:47.93.
The experts say it is unlikely he will that quick straight away but he is being forecast to potential break the best ever time at the meet of 1:51.76.
Charlie is coached by two-time Olympian Penny Gillies and his training partner is Australia’s fastest quarter-miler, Steve Solomon.
ERIN SHAW (ROSEVILLE COLLEGE)
Erin, from Frenchs Forest, is competing in the 19 years high jump and is one of our rising stars.
Last summer she earned herself the mantle of Australia’s leading junior high jumper and in February she set a personal best of 1.84m.
In the national U20 championships she won with a height of 1.82m and was selected for the Australian U20 team which competed on the Gold Coast in June. Here she cleared 1.83m then 1.84m in her two competitions.
MITCHELL LIGHTFOOT (MAITLAND HIGH)
Mitchell, from Largs, is competing in the 19 years 110m hurdles. He comes into the meet after last year clocking clocked an impressive World U20 Championships 110m hurdles qualifying time of 13.91 seconds. But because he finished third in the race he missed snaring one of the two spots on the Australian team.
In his first race this summer in difficult gusty conditions, Mitchell clocked a brilliant 13.70 which has elevating this Maitland talent to the fifth fastest in Australian junior history.
DELTA AMIDZOVSKI (CORPUS CHRISTI CATHOLIC SCHOOL)
Delta, from Albion Park, will compete in the 15 years 100m, 90m hurdles, 200m hurdles and long jump events.
She has marked herself as a real talent with five meet records in her first two years at the NSW All Schools.
Only one athlete in the history of the meet has leapt more than 6.09m - Olympian Nicole Boegman - so Delta long jump PB of 6.25m last season put her in rare company.
Nicole’s 15-years meet record, which is now 39-year-old, stands at 6.27m.
Another record that could be Delta’s is the 90m hurdles mark of 12.55.
ALEKSANDRA STOILOVA (WESTFIELD SPORTS HIGH)
Aleksandra, from Ambravale, is competing in the 16 years 100m.
This young speedster from a famous school has been one of Australia’s best sprinters in her age for a few years.
Last April, the 16-year-old finished second in the U20 Australian 100m championships to earn a spot in the Australian World U20 Championships team which unfortunately did not travel due to Covid.
This year Alek has clocked 14 sub-12 second times - many wind assisted - including a wind legal PB last week of 11.72.
HAYLEY KITCHING (COFFS HARBOUR SENIOR COLLEGE)
Hayley is competing in the 19 years 800m and 1500m events.
The Coffs Harbour teenager starting the summer with a best 800m time of 2:12.96.
Four PBs brought her down to 2:07.16 as she claimed the national under-18 title.
Hayley won the national title ahead of Montana Monk and the 2021 NSW All Schools will be a rematch of this race for the talented pair.
TAMSIN COLLEY (RANDWICK GIRLS HIGH)
Tamsin, from Kensington, will compete in the 17-19 years Ambulant 100m and 200m (T36).
Tamsin, who competed at the Rio Paralympics, runs consistently in the 32 seconds range for her pet event, the T36 200m.
She fell just short of reaching the Tokyo Paralympic standard this year.
Coached by Matt Rawlings, she has good history at the NSW All Schools meet.
Last year she ran one of her fastest times of 32.52 into a headwind.
PHILIPPA QUARRELL (PRIMARY SCHOOL)
Competing in the 12 years 800m and 1500m
Two meet records set in the 80s look to be at the mercy of Philippa Quarrell from Allambie Heights.
Her PB of 2:17.06, sits just outside the meet record of 2:16.10 which was set by Suzy Walsham in 1986.
Philippa’s 1500m PB of 4:44.88 is also just two seconds outside the 1500m record.
MILLY BOUGHTON (WESTFIELD SPORTS HIGH)
Competing in the 15 years 3000m walk.
Milly, from Alexandria, is a very talented all round athlete. The 15-year-old is the finest junior race walking in NSW.
Last April she won the Australian under-16 and under-17 Australian track race walking titles. Milly is also a very talented soccer player and is also in the Westfield Sports High soccer program.
MALI LOVELL (MACKELLAR GIRLS)
Mali. from Allambie Heights, will compete in the 17-19 years Ambulant 100m and 200m (T36)
Mali is the same classification as Tamsin Colley and they will continue their rivalry at the NSW All Schools.
Behind her is one of the most famous names in Australian athletics, Olympian Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, who is her coach.
At the 2020 NSW All Schools, Mali set a lifetime T36 200m best of 32.15, achieved into a headwind. She also ran a 100m PB of 15.67.
INDIANA COOPER (TUMUT HIGH) AND SARAH CLIFTON-BLIGH (PLC SYDNEY)
Indi, from Gundagai, will compete in the 15-16 years Ambulant 100m, 200m, 800m and long jump (T38) and
Sarah, from Haberfield, will race in the 17-19 years Ambulant 100m, 200m, 800m and shot put (T33/34).
The NSW All Schools is the start of a year with added incentive for Indi and Clifton-Bligh.
Their classification’s 100m event is on the program for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next year.
To assist them in their preparations this year, both have received Kurt Fearnley Scholarships.
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