Australian Cross Country: Emerging Juniors

Amongst the 1200 athletes at the National Cross Country last weekend there were dozens of new emerging stars including the two under-20 winners, Thomas Diamond and Poppy Austin, who both in the last few years have moved their focus from team sports to solely athletics.

U20 MEN 8km – Thomas Diamond VIC

On paper the men’s under-20 8km race was set to be a highly competitive race with five athletes who had represented Australia in junior global meets in the last 12 months (World U20 Championships and World Cross Country) on the start line, but in the end, it was a run-away victory for Victorian Thomas Diamond.

World Cross Country representative Logan Janetzki (VIC, Tim O’Shaughnessy), led the field out, but by a mile into the race Thomas Diamond (VIC, Stephen Ellinghaus) was pushing the pace, leading a pack of about nine, including another World XC representative Jack Coomber (QLD, Jayden Russ). By 2.5km the pack was now just five athletes and over the next mile Diamond turned the screws on the quality field and had a decisive 25 metres lead at 4km with a trailing pack of four which included the dangerous World Juniors and XC representative Archie Noakes (VIC, Charlotte Wilson). Over the second half of the race, Diamond extended his lead to win in 24:20 minutes, 14 seconds ahead of Coomber (24:34) and Noakes further back with a time of 24:45.

Diamond’s solo front running victory was not how it was planned. “It was completely opposite, my coach Steve wanted me to sit in,” revealed Diamond after the race.

The title, his first, meant a lot for Diamond.

“It is the first National title I’ve ever won. I had my chances on the track at the World Juniors trials (in 2022) of winning a title and they didn’t quite go my way. I thought I’ve got one more crack (before he departs for a US college).”

Diamond’s sporting journey started in cricket and AFL before he was nine and continued well into his teens. He started doing athletes and cross country at Primary school, but after he quite the other sports and concentrated on athletics, he made a significant breakthrough over the summer of 2021/22, going on to run the 3000m at the 2022 World U20 Championships.

U20 WOMEN 6km – Poppy Austin SA

From the gun in the women’s under-20 6km race, Queenslander Isabella Harte (Brian Chapman) assumed the lead holding a 20m break over the field led by SA’s Poppy Austin (Adam Didyk). The positions remained the same for most of the 2.5km second lap. But things changed near the start/finish for the final 2.5km circuit when Austin made a move.

“I was trailing Isabella until we hit the straight where I took the lead for the final 2.5km. I felt strong when I took the lead feeling I still had plenty in the tank,” said Poppy Austin. Within 500m she had built up a 20-metre lead going on to claim the win in 21:17 minutes, with Kiwi Catherine Lund second (21:25) and early leader Isabella Harte third with 21:53.

The win not only shocked the athletics community, but Austin herself.

“I am amazed! Having, only recently taken up running it is a little surreal to think that 12 months ago I was a year 12 student running the backroads in Southwest Victoria for pleasure, to now winning an Australian Cross Country title in Canberra.”

But it was no surprise to her coach Adam Didyk.

“He was certainly confident that I had a chance of making the podium if I did everything right.”

Austin grew up in South-west Victoria and this year moved to Adelaide to study Veterinary Technology at the University of Adelaide and joined Didyk’s Team Tempo squad.

In her mid-teens, COVID forced Austin to rethink her sporting priorities.

“I have always competed in cross country at both Balmoral Consolidated School and at Hamilton College (in country Victoria) but was more focused on playing team sports like netball and rowing. During COVID, when we were unable to attend rowing training, I started to focus on my running and in March 2022 made the decision to stop rowing and focus solely on my running.”

Being so new to the sport, Austin has put no limit on her future in running.

“Still being very new to the sport I am open to wherever my running takes me. I would love to represent Australia either at the World Cross Country Championships or maybe the Olympics one day.”

By David Tarbotton, Athletics Australia
Posted: 30/8/2023