Uwezo Lubenda, Myarah Ahoy, Charli Cox, Heath Otto and more headline stand out Townsville athletics stars

A host of Townsville’s best junior athletes have walked away from the Australian Junior Track and Field Championships with a series of medals, personal best times and aims for the coming months. See who starred here.

A number of Townsville’s top junior athletes.

The 2025 Australian Junior Athletics Championships have come to a close in Perth with hundreds of junior stars taking part.

Townsville and the wider North Queensland were proudly represented once again with a number of next generation Olympic and Paralympic talents carving out their careers.

With the five day event concluding on April 8, here’s a snapshot of how some our region’s leading talent fared.

NQ STARS AT 2025 AUSTRALIAN JUNIOR ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Uwezo Lubenda

With Queensland and Australian athletics making plenty of noise as of late, Lubenda is deserving of his flowers.

In 2024, after becoming the first 15-year-old to break the 11-second barrier in North Queensland history with a time of 10.80, the North Queensland sprint sensation followed it up with dual 100m and 200m national championship crowns.

North Queensland sprint sensation Uwezo Lubenda on the red track at the Townsville Sports Reserve. Picture: Evan Morgan

This time around the 16-year-old competed in the under-17 boys division, claiming gold in the 100m final with a blistering time of 10.47.

Beating the national record of 10.59 but was unfortunately ruled out due to ‘ineligible wind’ with tailwind exceeding 2.0 metres per second.

“He’s seriously going from strength to strength, “I’m so elated with his performance as it’s blown everyone away,” his coach Gary Cairns said.

Lubenda also recorded a silver medal in the 200m final as well as lifting his 4x100m relay team to a bronze medal result.

Myarah Ahoy

Rising athletics talent Myarah Ahoy. Picture: Queensland Athletics.

The rising Ross River talent was one of the carnivals most impressive athletes with a series of standout performances across the five days.

Ahoy competed in the under-14 girls 100m, 200m, long jump, 4x100m relay and mixed under-14 4x200m relay.

With a ninth place finish in long jump, Ahoy narrowly missed a podium spot in the 100m and 200m final with fourth place finishes.

She then earned a spot in the relay teams, winning gold in the 4x100m event alongside three Brisbane athletes while her 4x200m relay team finished third.

Peyton Smith

Rising athletics talent Peyton Smith. Picture: Medal Shots.

The Ross River junior got her first taste of Nationals this year, experiencing the level of competition and ambience that surrounds the event.

Smith was able to finish 10th in the long jump final with a personal best of 3.93 metres.

Charli Cox

Rising athletics talent Charli Cox. Picture: Kylie Nyssen.

After her impressive performance at the LAQ State Championships in Brisbane, where she earned selection alongside Molly Tanner for the Queensland team, Cox continued her impressive form.

Cox competed in the under-16 girls 100m, 200m and 90m hurdles events, making it to the final for the 90m hurdles before failing to finish.

Heath Otto

Otto, a Paralympic athlete, had a stellar campaign making the final for all four of his events which were PA under-17 male 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m.

Otto also recorded personal best times in all four finals, shaving a whopping 15 seconds off his 800m and 1500m times.

His effort in the 1500m final earned him a bronze medal.

Willow Dean

Rising athletics talent Willow Dean. Picture: Facebook.

Under-17s female athlete Willow Dean performed admirably in her 100m and 200m events, running a personal best time of 12.61 in the 100m heat.

Keanu Hewitt-Watson

Rising athletics talent Keanu Hewitt-Watson.

Hewitt-Watson stepped up to the under-18 male division, securing a semi-final berth in the 200m while also competing in the 100m event.

Parker Lee

Rising athletics talent Parker Lee. Picture: Contributed.

The junior star competed in the under-13 male division, making it to the final of his 100m and 200m events.

Lee ran personal best times in both of his heats and will be looking to continue his impressive displays.

Kyra Payne

Payne got her first taste of the National Championships and will be much better for the experience after competing in the under-15 female shot put, discus throw and javelin throw.

Nickolas Dixon-Grover

Is a star on the rise and was eligible to compete at the National Championships but couldn’t commit after his effort at the Australian School Titles.

Originally published as Uwezo Lubenda, Myarah Ahoy, Charli Cox, Heath Otto and more headline stand out Townsville athletics stars