Rising stars, races to watch at NSW Athletics junior titles after Nicole Olyslagers, Jess Hull success
Athletics headline makers Nicola Olyslagers and Jess Hull raced this event. Now it’s the turn of a new generation to make waves at the NSW junior athletics championships. Teens, races to watch
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The likes of NSW track and field stars Nicola Olyslagers and Jess Hull have been hogging the headlines with some great performances at the World Indoor championships.
Olyslager, from the NSW Central Coast, nabbed a sensational gold in the high jump in an encouraging sign ahead of the Paris Olympics, mpics and to become only NSW’s fourth world indoor champion with Melinda Gainsford-Taylor (200m 1995), Kerry Saxby-Junna (3000m walk 1989), and Fabrice Lapierre (long jump 2010).
Middle-distance runner Hull bettered her own Australian 3000m record at the meet to just finish off the podium in another great performance.
Hull’s 8:24.39 in the 3000m final was less than two seconds off a medal.
Now, closer to home, some of our future Olympians and stars of the international arena will be battling it out at the NSW junior athletics championships.
Nearly 1500 athletes in the U13-U20 age groups will compete across three days at Sydney Olympic Park from Friday with Australian championships spots in Adelaide up for grabs.
We take a look at some of the athletes to watch from both the track and field along with some of the events you won’t want to miss.
The U20 400m race is one to watch with Jemma Pollard and Paige Campbell both racing.
The pair will both be pressing their claims for a spot at the upcoming world U20 championships.
Both Pollard, from Newcastle Runners Inc, and Campbell, from Campbelltown Collegian, have nailed selection standards for the Australian team.
There will be plenty of interest in Pollard who last week ran a PB of 52.97 to move her to number 15 in Australian history.
Another to watch in this space is Australian junior 400m hurdles champion Alesha Bennetts.
It’s hard to do any sort of preview of a NSW event without mentioning Delta Amidzovski.
She will race an assortment of event including the U20 100m hurdles.
The event will give an indication of her form leading into the Australian championships where she is out to grab a spot on her second World U20 Championship team.
In a great showing recently she placed fifth against some strong senior and international competition.
Another to watch here will be Jasynta Lampret from Sydney’s south.
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In the field reigning U20 javellin Australian champion Tali Baltineshter from Sydney Uni athletics will be another to watch as she is favourite for this event.
Izobelle Loison-Roe is a crowd favourite and will be busy at the meet which runs from Friday to Sunday.
From the St George District athletics club she has the U18 100m hurdles, long jump, high jump and triple jump on her agenda.
Her bests are high jump 1.86m, long jump 6.13m, triple jump 12.86, 100m hurdles 14.04 and she is the current Australia U17 champion in all four event and already has a U20 championships qualifier in the high jump in the bag.
A race of interest will be the U18 2000m steeplechase where Asics Wests clubmates Zoe Woods and Sophia Slater will race.
Woods is only 16 and recently finished second in the U20 10km road walk. Last year she was crowned the U17 Australian 5000m walk champion.
Mingara’s Sienna Pitcher in the U18 5000m walk is another to watch for.
Well known Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist Chelsy Wayne from Athletics Wollongong is favourite for the NSW U18 discus title.
Another race to watch will be the U20 100m where Campbelltown Collegians athlete and Australia U18 100m record holder Sultana Sebastian will feature.
This young talent last week was on the Australian team which broke the Australian U20 4x100m record.
Daniel Williams will be one to watch in the U20 800m and 1500m races.
the 17-year-old from Byron Bay Runners is a top tip for both races.
In the U20 110m hurdles keep your eye out for Ryde Athletics’ Tim Forster, who has a world U20 championship qualifier, and Westfields Rashid Kabba.
Forster has a World U20 Champs qualifier.
George Wells from Gosford is expected to turn heads in the U20 shot put along with Trinity’s
Ben Stevens.
There; s a great tussles expected in the U18 100m with the likes of John McDonald from
Nepean District Athletic Club, Dylan Hall from Knox and Billy Blair from Balmain Athletics all racing.
McDonald finished second in the 100m U17 at the 2023 Australian All Schools, Blair won the 110m hurdles U17 at the 2023 Australian All Schools and Hall finished first in the 100m U17 2023 Australian Junior Championships.
Incredibly just 0.04 seconds separates their PBs.
In the U18 3000m Jesiah Low from Sutherland District Athletics is one to watch along with Julian Wylie from Randwick Botany Harriers and well known walker Isaac Beacroft from Hills District.
There’s a great battle expected in the U18s high jump between long term rivals Jackson Dyne from Manly Warringah Athletics and Michael Kurt from Illawong Revesby and Christian Calcut who won silver at the last Australian all schools with a PB of 2.02m.
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