Gold rush begins in Adelaide at Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships

A triumphant opening day in Adelaide has set the tone for a memorable 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships, with Olympic race walker Declan Tingay returning to top form while Paralympic champion James Turner led the charge for Paris and the nation’s fastest juniors were crowned.

Tingay (WA, Brent Vallance) raced to gold in the opening event of the day, setting a new championship record of 38:07.88 in the Men’s 10,000m Race Walk when coming within five seconds of his own Australian record. After missing February’s Australian 20km Race Walking Championships, the Tokyo Olympian made a statement return to the track to take down Rhydian Cowley (VIC, Brent Vallance) who trailed in a career-best 38:13.51.

“When you are fit, you know it. I knew that today would be fast and I knew we would be knocking on the door of the championship record definitely, but in the back of my mind a new national record. We fell a bit short but falling a bit short of 38-flat is not bad,” Tingay said.

While Tingay won the race, he lost his Australian Under 20 record at the hands of Isaac Beacroft (NSW, David Beacroft) who blazed his way to a time of 40:44.47 to put his best foot forward for the 2024 World Under 20 Championships in Peru this August, placing the cherry on top of a prolific season that saw him achieve selection for his first Australian team travelling to the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Turkey this month.

“I learned at Supernova in January that I shouldn’t go out with the Open boys who are on track for 38 minutes. I learned to do my own race and trust myself. We have so many race walkers coming through and it’s so good for things like the Olympics in Brisbane in 2032,” Beacroft said.

Jemima Montag (VIC, Brent Vallance) rounded out the walking action when adding another Australian title to her collection in 43:54.80 in Women’s 10,000m Race Walk, as Alexandra Griffin (WA, Jared Tallent) clinched the Under 20 title with a breakthrough walk of 45:56.22.

Paralympic champion James Turner (ACT, Iryna Dvoskina, T36) lit up the SA Athletics Stadium in the Men’s 400m Ambulant, leading the charge with a time of 52.91 for score of 97.73 on the BASELINE system, as middle-distance duo Jaryd Clifford (VIC, Philo Saunders, T12) and Michael Roeger (SA, Philo Saunders, T46) also posted Paralympic ‘A’ qualifiers with times of 3:50.33 and 3:50.25 over 1500m.

Camryn Newton-Smith (QLD, Ralph Newton) could do no wrong the first day of the Women’s Heptathlon with three personal bests from four events, headed by a 1.84m clearance in the high jump and 24.67 (-1.8) reading over 200m. The 23-year-old made strong foundations for the second 6000 point showing of her career, concluding on 3745 points ahead of Tori West (QLD, Eric Brown) on 3578 points.

Australia’s fastest juniors were crowned in the Under 20 showdowns over 100m, as 16-year-old Gout Gout (QLD, Diane Sheppard) reigned supreme in 10.48 (+1.1) and Aleksandra Stoilova (NSW, Tevin Hester) made the trip home from Clemson University worthwhile when winning in 11.46 (-0.3).

“The boys had great starts and being such a top-end runner, running them down is one of my strengths. It’s about not trying to put pressure on myself and just being me,” Gout said.

Australia’s top Paralympians were also in form in the field, as Sarah Walsh (ACT, Matt Beckenham, T64) leapt to her third Paralympic B qualifier in the Women’s Long Jump Ambulant with a performance of 5.01m (+0.3). Meanwhile, Rosemary Little (NSW, Rick Hoskins, F32) clinched gold from Maria Strong (VIC, John Eden, F33) in the Women’s Shot Put (Seated), as the duo secured Paralympic ‘B’ qualifiers of 6.13m and 6.69m respectively.

Jessica Hull (NSW, Simon Hull) and Linden Hall (VIC, Ned Brophy-Williams) took charge in their respective heats of the Women’s 1500m. Having already met the qualifying standard for Paris, the pair will race alongside Australia’s fourth fastest metric miler, Georgia Griffith (VIC, Nic Bideau) and Sarah Billings (VIC, Nic Bideau).

Commonwealth champion Oliver Hoare (NSW, Dathan Ritzenhein) was the fastest man over the distance clocking 3:38.80 in Heat 3, while Olympic finalist Stewart McSweyn (TAS, Nic Bideau) and teenage sensation Cameron Myers (ACT, Dick Telford) took line honours in their respective heats to make for an enticing final on Saturday.

In her first Australian championships in two years, reigning world champion Nina Kennedy (WA, Paul Burgess & James Fitzpatrick) made light work of the Women’s Pole Vault qualifying round, clearing 3.90m on her first attempt ahead of Saturday’s final. Also coasting through qualifying was Matthew Denny (QLD, Dale Steveson) who was one and done in the Men’s Discus with an impressive 66.68m throw to stake his claim for national title number seven in the event.

Day Two of the Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships continues tomorrow from 9:00am ACST, with eight hours of coverage broadcast live and free on Seven’s digital platform, 7plus from 12.25pm ACST.

By Lachlan Moorhouse and Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 11/4/2024