Gold & Silver for Australian athletics at World University Games

Australia had a great Day 5 of athletics at the World University Games in Naples, Italy.

The day kick started with the female Australian racewalkers dominating proceedings, with Katie Hayward (Griffith University) and Commonwealth Games champion Jemima Montag (The University of Melbourne) finishing first and second and combining with Philippa Huse (Monash University) to take the team gold in the 20km walk.

Hayward made her move after 40 minutes and was never headed to win in 1:33.30, 27 seconds clear of teammate Montag in second with Anezka Drahotova from Czech Republic third in 1:35.44.

Despite the 7am start time the conditions were tough with the temperature soaring to 34 degrees with no shade along the 2km loop.

“It was more of a mental challenge really, from 1k, just going around and around, but we worked together,” 18-year-old Gold Coaster Hayward said.

Montag, who won the Oceania title ahead of Hayward last month, was happy to see her young teammate take the win.

“It was hot out there, but it's such a pleasure to watch your teammate succeed like that,” Montag said.

“If I had to be silver behind anyone, I am really happy that it was Katie.”

The duo have become close helping each other in the lead up and during the event.

“We have been on two camps together this year - one in Canberra at the start of the year and then Cairns after Nationals and just working together and even just contacting each other to see how we are, it's such a great bond I think we have,” Hayward said.

“Even throughout the race, at the 6-7km mark, Jem was like ‘let’s go, we can jump these girls’.”

There were some other standout performances on Day 5

Tori West continued her stellar year - coming 5th in the heptathlon with 5416 points with two massive PBs - 13.53m in the Shot Put and 53.27m in the Javelin. 

The women's 4x100m team of Abbie Taddeo, Nana Afriyie-Owusu, Riley Day & Celeste Mucci,  set the second fastest time in 2019 by an Australian women's 4x100m team with 44.28. 

Day 5 Performances:

Katie Hayward (Griffith University & Steve Langley) - 20kW 1st 1:33.30

Jemima Montag (The University of Melbourne & Brent Vallance) - 20kW 2nd 1:33.57

Philippa Huse (Monash University & Cathy Huse) - 20kW 15th 1:44.09

Declan Tingay (The University of Western Australia & Steven Tingay) - 20kW DQ

Tori West Heptathlon (The University of Queensland & Eric Brown - Heptathlon 5416 (5th place)

LJ 5.27m

Jav 53.27m

800m 2:27

Women’s 4x100m (Celeste Mucci, Riley Day, Abbie Taddeo, Nana Afriyie-Owusu) - Q 44.28

Chris Mitrevski (RMIT & Christopher Mitrevski) - LJ q 7.71m

Darcy Roper (The University of Queensland & John Boas) - LJ q 7.66m

Angus Armstrong (RMIT & Alex Parnov) - PV 10th 5.06m

Stephen Clough (The University of Western Australia & Paul Burgess) - PV 11th 5.06m

Nicholas Andrews (Macquarie University & Mick Zisti) - 110mH Semi 13.86

Jacob McCorry (Macquarie University & Michael Zisti) - 110mH Semi 13.92

Mason Cohen (University of Technology Sydney & Ben Liddy) - 800m Semi 1:49.98

Jye Perrott (University of Technology Sydney & Ben Liddy) - 800m Semi 1:49.49

Max Stevens (Swinburne University of Technology & Adam Didyk) - 3k steeple 14th 8:57.40

Matt Clarke (LaTrobe University & Justin Rinaldi) - 3k Steeple 11th 8:43.91

Caitlin Adams (University of South Australia & Adam Didyk) - 5000m 8th 16:07.38

Women’s 4x400m (Jess Stafford, Morgan Mitchell, Gen Cowie, Bella O’Grady) - Q 3:34.51

Men’s 4x400m (Sean Fitzsimmons, Mason Cohen, Zach Holdsworth, Jye Perrott) - 3:11.23

The final day of athletics competition is underway tomorrow; Day 6 of the World University Games is underway tomorrow. To see our Aussies in action head to - the FISU Live Stream, the Olympic Channel Live Stream or on certain times on EuroSport on Foxtel.

Full results from the World University Games, can be seen here.