Owen breaks 50-year record in Tassie’s huge junior nationals medal haul

Violet Owen shattered a long standing state record, and proved why she’s one of the country’s best emerging middle distance runners at the junior nationals. Read why Tassie officials believe it could be our best-ever crop of young talent.

Violet Owen and Emma Fryga went head to head at this week's national athletics championships in Perth. Picture: Holly Smee

Sandy Bay runner Violet Owen eclipsed a state record which stood for 50 years in a highlight of a national championships medal haul which prompted Athletics Tasmania to rate their crop of juniors as possibly their best ever.

While Owen, still just 15, settled for silver behind highly rated Emma Fryga in the under-17 800m and 1500m, she beat the 800m state record which had stood since 1975.

Both times were official junior world championship qualifiers, with her 800m time beating her previous personal best set at the recent Sports Association of Tasmanian Independent Schools (SATIS) carnival by exactly two seconds.

Her 1500m run of 4:26.86 is also a new under-16/17 state record, and shaved nearly three-and-a-half seconds off her previous best in 2023.

A fall in the SATIS 1500m meant she was unsure how she would perform in Perth.

I was quite nervous coming into that race because I hadn’t got a good 1500m in. I hoped to at states but that didn’t work out for me,” Owen said.

“I wanted to run personal best, especially in the 1500 because I hadn’t run a PB in over two years.

Violet Owen (left) accepts one of her silver medals. Picture: Holly Smee

“When you go into a race you want to win, but I was focused on me personally and how I could improve. I really wanted to get that PB and prove I’m better than two years ago.

“I didn’t even know how old it (previous 800m state record) was until I saw the Athletics Tasmania socials, but when my coach (Susan Andrews) told me I broke it I was really happy with that.”

Owen prefers to view finishing behind Fryga as a positive, crediting the Queensland gun for setting the standard.

“She’s really fast and it’s always good to have someone pushing you, I probably wouldn’t have got those times with her in the race,” Owen said.

Owen will wait until she’s older for a potential crack at the world championships.

“I did qualify but they can only take two Australian under-20s and the older girls are faster than me, but maybe in the next cycle after this one,” she said.

“It’s really good to see my hard work paying off, and it does definitely put me on the right track and give me a lot of confidence moving forward.

“I was fitter coming into these nationals and started implementing a strength program this season, which has been really helpful.”

Jemima Geappen and Margot Hobday after helping Tasmania win bronze at the national athletics championships. Picture: Holly Smee

Andrews praised her pupil for sticking to the race plan.

“It was rewarding to have her main competitor (Fryga) with reach for the majority of the races, so Violet wasn’t left stranded between the winner and the chasing packs,” Andrews said.

“Emma is an incredibly strong finisher, but I was so proud of Violet who stayed composed and confident in herself to run the best races of her junior career so far.”

Tasmania finished with 30 medals, including 14 gold, in the junior events, with under-20s and opens to begin on Thursday.

Quinn Aitken won five gold medals at the national athletics championships. Picture: Holly Smee

“The depth of talent coming through the Tasmanian ranks is incredible - it’s looking like it could be the strongest junior cohort we’ve ever seen,” Tasmania team manager Brandon Clark said.

“The performances at nationals show that our juniors are not just competitive but world-class and ready to shine.”

Other standout displays included 14-year-old Jayla Olm breaking the state under-15 and 16 records in heats before going on to win bronze in the under-15 100m.

Quinn Aitken won five gold medals across women’s PA under-15 and 17 events, while Sianna Adkins showed why she’s rated a future star by winning the under-16 javelin and heptathlon titles.

Palepa Leauma claimed double gold in the women’s under-16 and under-18 hammer throw, as did Archie Dixon in the men’s under-17 PA 400m and 800m.