Dodds Double Delight as Clarkson Rewrites Record | All Schools Day Two Recap

Western Australia’s own Olivia Dodds cranked up the heat on Day Two of the 2023 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Championships in Perth, bolting to a dominant sprint double as Kodi Clarkson set a new Australian Under 16 record in the 3000m Race Walk.

Burgeoning race walker Clarkson took charge of the U16 3000m discipline to break the Australian record set by Isaac Beacroft just one year ago. Crossing the line emphatically in 12:00:10, Clarkson was particularly proud of his efforts, having claimed silver in the Under 18 5000m Race Walk just a day earlier.

“The goal was always to break the record, which I did today, and I was very happy with that given I raced last night. I managed to pull up alright from the 5k last night, which was a surprise,” Clarkson said.

“Next year, I want to represent Australia at something. My event will be tough but that is definitely the goal.”

Dodds (WA) left no question as to who the fastest schoolgirl in the land is when blazing her way to the Under 18 Girls sprint double, rounding out the feat with a personal best of 23.68 (+1.0) - her third World Under 20 qualifier over the distance.

Backing up her 11.49 (+2.3) performance on Day One of the championships, the heavy racing schedule proved no match for the Western Australian’s class, flexing her early-season strength with her second individual gold of the weekend - while also anchoring the 4x100m to team glory.

“I’ve been struggling a bit with 200’s, especially last season. I changed my approach a bit this season to work on that lactic and learn how to control it, so it’s been a really good confidence booster for me,” Dodds said.

“It would mean everything for me to make World Juniors. I love that part of the world, I used to live in Mexico so it would be amazing for me to go back and visit South America.”

It took a career-best run over 200m for Cody Hasler (NSW) to cement himself as the nation’s fastest schoolboy, carving a chunk off his personal best to win the Under 18 title in 21.47 (-0.2) after winning 100m gold on the opening day.

“I’m really happy, the 200m is not my strength so I’m kind of surprised that it went so well. It was a personal best by like 0.3 [seconds] into a headwind, so hopefully I can get down to that World Junior mark [21.35] within the qualifying period,” Hasler said.

Adding a sprint double of his own, hometown hero Josiah John (WA) saluted in the Under 17 Boys 200m in a swift 21.57 (+1.2), stretching away in the home straight to the delight of the locals.

Australia’s middle-distance depth was on display as rising stars dominated the 800m stakes, with Ivy Boothroyd (NSW) leading a charge of three girls to nail the 2:09.00 qualifying standard for the 2024 World Under 20 Championships.

Boothroyd split an even 2:06.04 with an impressive finishing kick to lower Jodie Nykvist’s Under 17 meet record of 2:07.97 from 1981, finishing ahead of Declyn Tanner (VIC) who also snuck under the qualifying mark with a time of 2:08.94.

Tayissa Buchanan (NSW) was equally dominant when winning the Under 18 title in a time of 2:07.10, while Daniel Williams (NSW) delivered the Under 17 distance double to claim the 800m title in 1:50.74.

Blasting through the 60-second barrier in the 400m hurdles for the first time in her short career, Siena Farrell (VIC) posted her second 2024 World Under 20 qualifying performance of 59.77 to claim gold in the Under 18 ranks.

Stretching away from the field to win ahead of Ellen Murphy (NSW, 1:01.40), the Victorina reaped the rewards of turning her attention to the event this year having previously competed in the heptathlon.

Commonwealth Youth Games representative Matthew Hunt (NSW) also impressed over the barriers, clocking a swift 53.78 to claim Under 18 title narrowly ahead of local talent Jacob Eddington (WA) who was valiant in defeat when clocking 53.89.

16-year-old Blake Doyle (TAS) piled on 26cm to his personal best in the Under 17 Boys Long Jump when leaping to gold with 7.34m (+0.3), saving his best for the National stage. The series also featured a 7.18m effort (+1.7) as the Tasmanian consolidated his form.

Setting a new personal best of 3.90m, Haneefa Rane (QLD) piled on 10cm to her previous best to claim the U18 Pole Vault title. Clearing the height on her third and final attempt, the 17-year-old was then set the tough task of a 4.02m progression when bowing out of the competition.

Izobelle Louison-Roe (NSW) kept her dream of four gold medals alive when winning the Under 17 Girls Long Jump with a 6.06m (+2.9) leap, overcoming early trouble to assert herself in the penultimate round.

Serving up one of the strongest scores of the day in the para ranks, Teleya Blacksmith (NSW, T20) posted a BASELINE score of 92.93 with her 26.91 (-4.2) performance in the Para Under 17 Girls 200m, making light work of the stubborn headwind.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 9/12/2023