Australian Junior Combined Event Championships - Day 2

The 2022 Australian Junior Combined Event Championships featured an array of excitement and close battles for the podium. In many events the 800m and 1500m decided the final placings.

After an extraordinary long jump of 6.37m by Joshua Osbourne (QLD), in the under-16 boys heptathlon, had built up an enormous 500 point lead after event five. But South Australia’s Zayden Kamish still had two good events to finish the competition, the javelin and the 1500m. With a massive 51.14m javelin throw and 4:32.14 in the 1500m, Zayden outscored Joshua by over 400 points, but eventually he would settle for second, with Joshua taking the title with a score of 4372 points to Zayden’s 4299. The battle for bronze was even more dramatic, when NSW’s Bailey Latanis came from ninth to third in the last event. He clocked 4:25.24, defeating  four athletes by 60 seconds to land on the podium 11 points ahead of fourth.

The battle for the title between Queensland’s Daniel Harlow and ACT’s Blake Deery was close with never more than 50 points between the two in the under-15 boys heptathlon. Going into the last event, Daniel held a slender 19 points lead, but would extend it taking the 1500m and the title with a score of 4116 points. Blake was second with 4072 points.

In the under-16 girls, SA’s Charlotte McAuliffe took control of the event after a quick 200m in 25.46, going on to take the title with a score of 4712 points. In the battle for the silver and bronze, just 18 points separated three girls as they shuffling places in the final event. Abbey Berlese (TAS) went from third to the silver medal scoring 4630 points, while her Tasmanian teammate Isabella Wing moved from second to the bronze medal scoring 4522 points. Queensland’s Monique Williams, who was in fourth, was unable to finish on the podium, missing a medal by just 26 points.

Georgie Fielder (SA) and Jamison Towers (VIC) generally held their gold and silver positions throughout the under-15 girls heptathlon competition finishing on 4688 and 4434 points respectively. But the last event would decide the bronze medal, with Victoria’s Jazmin Firth overtaking Piper Todd (NSW) with the day’s fastest 800m time of 2:22.57 to snatch bronze 4359 to 4314 points.

Chasing his third consecutive national Combined event title, Angus Clues (NSW) had to wait until the scores were tallied for the news he had won the under-17 boys decathlon by 55 points. Victoria’s Valentino Bertucci had outrun Angus by 10 seconds in the 1500m to challenge him for the title. Angus score 5972 points to Valentino’s 5917 points.

NSW’s Uchenna Egbu was a comfortable winner of the boy’s under-18 decathlon scoring 5422 points. The under-17 girls heptathlon was another dramatic event. SA’s Leila Croker scored a terrific tally of 5006 points, exceeding the under-18 girls. But the drama occurred in the chase for the silver and bronze medals with Siena Farrell making up over 100 points on Queensland reigning champion Charlize Goody as they finished on tremendous scores of 4819 and 4807 points respectively. Leila’s competition had included a long jump of 5.68m, and Charlize’s throws of 14.00m in the shot and 48.18m in the javelin. Siena won the running in a largely balanced performance.

An accommodating Athletics Australia allowed Victorian Mia Scerri to use under-20 specifications in the under-18 girls heptathlon as she had come within 100 points of the World U20 Championships qualifying standard in January. But the challenging conditions, including headwinds and rain throughout day one, made it hard going. Mia eventually scored 5000 points, highlighted by a near World Under-20 Championships qualifier of 6.03m in the long jump. When considering the conditions Mia rated the performance equal to her 5226 score in the Victorian Championships. An additional gold medal was awarded to Kayla Newberry, who scored 4688 points using the under-18 implements.

Also in World U20 Championships action, Noah Oliver complied an extraordinary total of 7008 points. Competing in an Athletics Australia specially organised invitation open/U20 event, he equalled or broke six PBs including four on the last day with his tally just 42 points short of the World Junior standard. But it was a rough ride for athlete and coach Steve Cain as Noah needed a good third attempt in the discus to remain competitive and he missed his first two opening height attempts in the pole vault.

By David Tarbotton, Athletics Australia
Posted: 13/2/2022