Australian Junior Combined Event Championships - Day 2

Eight Australian track and field titles were well earned this week over two gruelling days of competition for every competitor at the Australian Junior Combined Event Championships held at Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne.

The standard out was local, Mia Scerri (Vic) who won the national under-17 women’s heptathlon championship with a score of 5553 points, a personal best tally of 118 points. Her day two was an improvement on her State Championships held in Bendigo last month. Scerri started day two with an enormous effort of 6.08m in the long jump, then recorded a nearly four seconds PB of 2:20.86 in the 800m. There was much excitement in the last event, the 800m, where three Queenslanders battled for the silver and bronze medals. In the end, they held their positions from the start of the event with Kayla Newberry claiming second (4598 points) from Tiani Hogan (4503) and Tayden Tomich (4415) in fourth.

The under-18 decathlon title was a comfortable win for Queensland’s Connor Duggan with a score of 6064 points.

“It feels good just to finish off a decath, first hit out in a while,” said Duggan. “Good to get over 6000 points and get it done.”

Coached by Eric Brown in Brisbane, he trains alongside Australia’s three best multi-eventers Ash Moloney, Cedric Dubler and Tori West.

“Training alongside them has really helped, especially with my running, I was pretty bad. They have lifting my running game and I’m helpful for that. 

“I got a few PBs, in the shot and I’m thinking 1500m. Field events went well, track events not so well. We will work on them for the next decath. Next year I’m aiming for the world juniors in the decath, maybe even the high jump. See how training goes for now.”

In the under-18 women’s heptathlon, Victorian Shehana Wijesundara held her 100 plus points overnight lead through day two to win by 136 points with a score of 4680 points from NSW’s Lily Tilt (4544) and Victorian Alana Chapman (4372).  Wijesundara started day two with a strong win in the long jump with a leap of 5.36m, while for Tilt it was a solid all-round performance placing second or third in her second day events. 

The under-17 decathlon was a comfortable victory for Raymond Terrace’s Cody Hancock (NSW) with a tally of 5727 points, a 200-point improvement on his state title score. Winning three events on day two, Hancock was particularly strong in the throws – discus and javelin.

In the girls under-16 heptathlon, Queensland’s Charlize Goody achieved her first 5000 point score, tailing 5041 points to take gold. Her second day was highlighted by a four metre better javelin throw than her state title win in December. She also won the shot, but it was an impressive all-round performance from Goody that sealed the victory. Second placed Siena Farrell (Vic) won three individual events, the running events and long jump, to score 4863 points.

NSW’s Talahn Paki overcame problems in the javelin, to hold on to the bronze with a score of 4357 points.

Despite a last day rally by Victorian Xavier Pitt, where he won the last two events, NSW’s Angus Clues clinched victory in the under-16 boys heptathlon after wins in the 200m, shot put and long jump. Clues scored 4331 points, from Xavier Pitt (4056) and Canberra’s Kiefer Brennan (3926).

Victorian Geena Davy held off a late charge by SA’s Charlotte McAuliffe, to win the under-15 girls heptahlon. Davy score 4517 points, from McAuliffe’s 4361 points with Sovannary Seremet (Qld) third with 3991 points. Davy started day two with a tremendous 5.31m long jump win, but in the 800m McAuliffe defeated Davy by eight seconds, that representing 104 points, significantly reducing Davy’s winning margin.

Queenslander Joshua Osborne made tremendous progression from his state title win to claim the national under-15 boys heptathlon title with a score of 4047 points. His win in Melbourne was a 149-point improvement, courtesy of strong performances in the jumps and hurdles.

By David Tarbotton for Athletics Australia
Posted: 26/3/2021