Brilliant Beacroft Blasts the Books | All Schools Day One Recap

An action-packed Day One of the 2023 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Athletics Championships belonged to Isaac Beacroft who walked his way into the history books, as Australia’s emerging talents stamped their presence on the track and in the field despite challenging conditions in Perth.

Race walking sensation Beacroft (NSW) saved the best for last on a record-breaking day in Western Australia, pacing his way to a new Australian Under 20 5000m Race Walk record of 19:31.21 - the second fastest time in world history by an Under 18 athlete.

The rise of the Australian race walking scene was prominent as Beacroft worked with a group including Owen Toyne (ACT), Bailey Housden (QLD) and Marcus Wakim (VIC), but the 16-year-old soon broke away with his punishing closing speed on display as he carved seven seconds of Troy Sundstrom’s record from the year 2000.

“I’m stoked with that, I’m really happy. It was good to come out, hit the time I really wanted and get the gold. I’m thankful for the boys who dragged me through in the first two kilometres,” Beacroft said.

“I’m going to walk the 10km in Adelaide in April, and if I walk well it will hopefully qualify me for the World Juniors and I will set my eyes on Peru. I don’t go to competitions to come second, but Australian race walking is the strongest it has been in a long time.”

The windy conditions proved no trouble for Izobelle Louison-Roe (NSW), who nailed the first of four events with a stunning 13.39m (+2.3) performance to clinch Under 17 Girls Triple Jump gold - adding 80cm to the meet record.

“First event down, hopefully I can continue it! My main events are triple jump and high jump, the rest I just do for fun. That last jump I moved my whole run-up forward 40cm because it was all a mess, but I got it in the end,” Louison-Roe said.

Hometown heroes Olivia Dodds (WA) and Josiah John (WA) blazed their way to the fastest times of the day in the 100m, being crowned the fastest schoolgirl and schoolboy in the land when delivering as the best in the west.

Delivering a scorching run of 11.49 (+2.3) to win the Under 18 Girls Final, Dodds saluted on home territory to set up a golden season as she targets the 2024 World Under 20 Championships:

“I’m very happy with that! I’m really grateful to back up an 11.59 in the heats with an 11.49 in the final. I had a very strong pre-season and the first few races have been amazing, so hopefully I can pull it through to the end of the season,” Dodds said.

John took out the Under 17 Boys title to the delight of the home crowd with a performance of 10.42 (+2.6), while Cody Hasler (NSW) roared to the Under 18 Boys title in a swift 10.56 (+2.4).

Rounding out the sprinting action, Samuel Allen (QLD) worked through the field to claim glory in the Under 17 Para 100m, stopping the clock in a windy 12.39-seconds for a score of 89.18.

Discus throwers dominated on Day One, as Xylavene Beale (NSW) spearheaded a trio of World Under 20 Championships qualifiers in the Under 18 and Under 17 ranks. A new personal best of 51.38m saw Beale claim the victory, while Queenslander Charlize Goody found the silver lining throwing a career best of 49.62m. At just 15-years-old, Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist Chelsy Wayne (NSW) secured her third qualifying performance when taking out the Under 17 ranks with a best of 50.83m.

Adding to the action, Commonwealth Youth Games champion George Wells (NSW) continued his golden year to set a new personal best of 59.81m en route to the Under 18 title.

A pedestrian start to the Under 17 Boys 1500m Final played right into the hands of Commonwealth Youth Games representative Daniel Williams (NSW), who bided his time before unleashing a 52-second final lap to cruise to victory in 4:04.43 - the first leg of his middle-distance double ahead of tomorrow’s Under 17 800m Final.

15-year-old Amaya Mearns (QLD) leapt to a windy 6.11m (+3.5) in the Under 16 Long Jump before roaring to victory over 200m in a time of 23.85 (+2.3).

Returning to the track after competing at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, Charlotte McAuliffe (SA) punched in her first qualifying performance for the 2024 World Under 20 Championships, clocking 55.30-seconds in the Under 17 Girls 400m Heats, with the final to be run on Sunday.

14-year-old Jamison Harding (VIC) piled 20cm onto her personal best to win the Under 15 Girls Pole Vault by a margin of one metre, clearing 3.75m on her second attempt to secure the gold and a breakthrough performance on the national stage.

Day Two of the 2023 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Championships begins at 9:00am AWST, with all the latest information regarding start lists, timetable and live stream to be found HERE.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 8/12/2023