Around the Grounds | Aussies’ Hot Start to 2024

It was a strong weekend for Australian athletes plying their trade across the globe, with many leaving Paralympic and World Under 20 Championships qualifiers in their wake on home soil, while others made their mark in the NCAA.   

The Australian Institute of Sport played host to the Summer Down Under Series which doubled as the Chemist Warehouse Australian Wheelchair Championships, with athletes enduring busy racing schedules to deliver fast times and national titles.

Paralympic medallist Rheed McCracken (Louise Sauvage, T34) lit up the home straight at the Summer Down Under, racing to his first Paralympic ‘A’ standard with a push of 15.38 (+1.4) – just under the 15.40 standard after already clocking four ‘B’ qualifying performances. McCracken flexed his versatility when also securing an 800m ‘B’ qualifier of 1:43.42.

Fellow Paralympic star Chad Perris (Matt Beckenham, T13) wasted no time in ticking off his first Paralympic ‘A’ qualifying performance amidst the action, opening his season at his home track in Canberra in a slick 10.69 (+1.0) – nailing the 10.70 standard. The form line reads well for the White Tiger who owns the Australian record in the 100m T13 at 10.65, timing his run for the 2024 Paralympic Games.

More ‘B’ qualifiers belonged to Luke Bailey (Andrew Dawes, T54) who posted the fastest time down the straight of the wheelchair racers in 14.08 (+0.3), trailed closely by Sam Carter (Fred Periac, T54) in 14.19 (+0.5), while Paralympic co-captain Angela Ballard (Jamie Green, T53) clocked a strong 56.73 over 400m. Full results from the Chemist Warehouse Australian Wheelchair Championships can be found HERE.

Fresh off an Australian record of 62.50m in the javelin F13 earlier this season, Jackson Hamilton (Morgan Ward, F13) backed up his strong form with a 62.43m throw at Athletics West’s Strive Program for another ‘B’ standard, while 2019 javelin F38 world champion Corey Anderson (Lukas Cannon, F38) nailed his first ‘B’ qualifier with a 47.81m effort.

Leading the way in the collegiate ranks, shot putter Alexander Kolesnikoff (Georgia) launched a new personal best of 20.45m after transferring from Harvard University in the off-season, clinching the NCAA lead and laying strong foundations at the renowned throws factory of Georgia. Hayley Kitching (Penn State) also continued her strong start to the short track season with a run of 1:28.18 over 600m – the third fastest time in the NCAA this season.

Also opening their campaign on international soil, Commonwealth Games medallist Bree Masters (Ryan Hoffman) jetted off for a brief trip to New Zealand, clocking times of 11.47 (+0.4) and 11.59 (-0.7) over 100m at the Potts Classic in Hastings.

Fresh off claiming the Pacific Games title, Imogen Breslin (Mick Zisti) warmed into 2024 with a new personal best of 13.19 (+0.2) in the 100m hurdles at the New South Wales Country Championships, while fellow hurdler Liz Clay (David Reid & Sharon Hannan) opened her Olympic campaign with a 100m flat personal best of 11.86 (+0.6) in Queensland.

Also impressing the hurdling ranks, Tayleb Willis (Kyle Vander-Kuyp) reaped the rewards of a strong winter when delivering a slick sprint hurdling double, stopping the clock in 13.79 (+1.1) in the 110m hurdles while also doubling back for 10.48 (+2.0) in the 100m.

Australia’s rising stars piled on the 2024 World Under 20 Championships qualifying performances, led by Western Australian Olivia Dodds (Lyn Foreman) who torched her way down the straight in 11.50 (+0.5), while Delta Amidzovski (Bec Amidzovski) set a new personal best of 13.38 (+0.2) over the Open hurdle height at the New South Wales Country Championships.

Queensland 16-year-old Gout Gout (Diane Sheppard) joined the sprinting frenzy with a run of 10.56 (+0.2) over 100m at QSAC, while Zane Eldridge (Sharon Hannan & Peter Hannan) shattered the 14-second barrier in the 110m Hurdles (99cm) with a run of 13.95 (+0.8) to post his first World Under 20 qualifier. Jemma Pollard (Tim Eschebach) impressed at the New South Wales Country Championships with a pair of qualifying performances – 23.94 (+2.0) for 200m and 54.86 over 400m. 

Adding to the action, Chelsy Wayne (Dennis Knowles) came within 13cm of her career-best performance with a throw of 51.43m in the discus, while NCAA athlete Aleksandra Stoilova (Pittsburgh) hit the boards for a short track 200m in 23.94-seconds to also qualify.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Photo by David Tarbotton, Athletics NSW
Posted: 22/1/2024