Grammar sprinter in bold national run

Darling Downs track athletes in Australian title mix.

ATHLETICS : A second-place finish by Jai Gordon in the blue ribbon 100-metre final highlighted a strong performance by Toowoomba Grammar School track athletes at this year’s Australian All Schools Championships.

Grammar representatives claimed four medals for Queensland at the championships in Perth.

Gordon also won gold as a successful member of the Queensland 4x100m relay team.

Grammar’s Harry Callow was another member of the winning 4x100m team.

He was also a bronze medallist in the Swedish relay event.

Gordon and Callow are also members of a squad coached by Grammar’s head track-and-field coach Jackie Gallagher.

Seven members of Jackie Gallagher Athletics’ squad attended the Perth titles with Lilly Hanssen, Carter Blades and Riley Williams lining up alongside Grammar quartet Gordon, Callow, Paul Draheim and Nick Coonan.

“All seven squad members finished in the top 10 nationally which was a very pleasing result,” Gallagher said.

“Paul Draheim finished 10th in the 200-metre hurdles, and Nick Coonan was eighth in the 800 metres which was third for his age with two personal bests.

“Carter Blades was third in the under-16 400 metres.

“He was the youngest in his group and ran a personal best to be first for his age in a race where the winner ran an Australian record.

“Lily Hanssen is the Queensland under-15 400-metre champion and she placed eighth in Australia for under-16 girls.”

Gallagher attributes Gordon’s strong national showing to “really hard work”.

“Jai has taken .30 second off his personal best since April,” Gallagher said.

“He has worked really hard on refining his technique which has rewarded him with fantastic achievements.

“He tied for first at the Queensland Championships with the reigning national champion in the 100 metres.

“After leading the national final in Perth he was just pipped on the finish line.”

Gordon was also invited last month to train and compete as a member of the Australian under-20 relay squad in Canberra.

“Jai has run around 10.70 seconds consistently this season and is in great shape for the Australian world junior team trials in late March,” Gallagher said.