NSW Country athletics titles 2025: Records fall, stars and standouts, result wrap

A 43-year old record was broken, a family record changed hands and stars of the future were identified at a wet and wild NSW Country Athletics championships. Stars and standouts

Emily Wheelan in action at the NSW county titles. Picture: Supplied

A 43-year old record was broken, a family record changed hands and stars of the future were identified at a wet and wild NSW Country Athletics championships at Maitland.

Record numbers competed at the event marred by atrocious weather conditions but which officials were remarkably able to still run from Friday to Sunday.

Newcastle athlete Emily Whelan was one of the stars of the show with a new record in the high jump.

And watching her in action was the woman whose record she broke.

Australian Olympian Katrina Morrow, formally Gibbes, got to celebrate with Whelan who broke her 1982 women’s open high jump record of 1.85m at the NSW country championships.

Morrow was attending the Maitland meet as a NSW official.

Emily Wheelan and Katrina Morrow. Picture: Supplied

Another standout performance was in the new U20 3000m steeplechase event.

Jessie Fotheringham from Tamworth Athletics recorded an impressive time of 10:24.50 to win this event

And in a twist Sienna Pitcher now has bragging rights on her sister Allanah, an Aussie representative at the 2023 world championships.

Sienna, from Mingara Regional Athletics club, won the U20 walk at the Maitland event in the handy time of 14:10.47 to eclipse her sisters record.

Sienna Pitcher racing at the event. Pictures: David Tarbotton.

Stars and standouts of the NSW Country championships 2024

One of the youngest stars was U13 400m Hunter Pociask winner from Port Macquarie with his record mark of 1:03.80.

Hunter beat Theart Nel from Tamworth Athletics who recorded a time of 1:05.16 with Fraser Hawke from Kotara South third in 1:0.64.

Hunter Pociask from Port Macquarie was a standout at the event. Pictures: David Tarbotton.

In the U15 pole vault, Cooper Manser from Gosford equalled a record with his 1.90m while Jack Kelly from Tamworth set a new mark in the U17 400m hurdles with his 1:00.80.

Kelly beat Zane Edwards from Raymond Terrace with a time of 1:07.76 with Hugo Strickland from Springwood District third in 1:09.71.

In the U17 3000m walk Callum Martin from Adamstown New Lambton won in 13:10.41 to beat Charlton Maxwell from Maitland Senior in the event

Callum Martin was another standout at the event. Pictures: David Tarbotton.

In the U17 hammer throw Cooper Dabin from Temora achieved a new best mark of 61.48m.

Daniel Bugeja from Mingara finished second in this event with a throw of 29.50m with Alex Campbell from Westlakes third with a 21.01m.

In the U17 javelin throw Caden Andrews from Macquarie Hunter came up with a 61.26m

Second in this event was Alex Campbell from Westlakes with a throw of 42.0 6m. Malachi Kubils from Lismore was third (40.99m).

In the U18 pole vault Teddy Hampton from Tamworth produced a 4.00m and in the U20 3000m walk Myles Ashby Mingara came up with an impressive 13:04.35

Peter Charlton from Cardiff and District finished second in this event.

In the U20 hammer throw Ky Garratt from Cowra produced a record 64.57m throw.

Hammer thrower Ky Garratt, Pictures: David Tarbotton

In the U18 2000m steeplechase Emily Mclaren from Shoalhaven Little Athletics impressed with a 7:49.5.

In the U17 2000m steeplechase Skye Dogan from Ballina Allstars Athletics won with a 7:48.31 while in the U15s hammer throw Sidney Bartle from Athletics Wollongong Inc. produced a special 44.35m.

The U13 400m was won by Emma Shiels from Mingara Regional Athletics Club in 1:00.04, the U13 1500m walk by Sofia Farrell from Macquarie Hunter in 9:03.61, the U13 javelin throw by Grace Kelly from Gosford in 25.29m and the U13 triple jump by Alexis Rhodes from Cardiff in 9.51m.

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Originally published as NSW Country athletics titles 2025: Records fall, stars and standouts, result wrap