Holt’s para-sprint double as meet records fall

Rio 2016 Paralympic Games medallist, Isis Holt (Vic), has delivered the girl’s under 20 para-athletics sprint double on day three of the 2017 Australian Athletics Championships.

Stopping the clock at 14.01 (w: -0.6) to win the 100m this evening, Holt was victorious in the 200m in a time of 28.97 (w: +0.9) yesterday to ensure an outstanding start to her week of racing at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre.

“I didn’t come to this championship with any goals around time but to run as quickly as I did yesterday in the 200m and then back it up again in the 100m is a real positive,” Holt, who has cerebral palsy, said.

“I’ve got the open events later in the week. I’m really excited. I’ve got a couple of days to rest now and then I’ll get another shot on the weekend.”

As a Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships gold medallist, Holt is also among those in contention for automatic selection for the World Para-Athletics Championships at the Athletics in Australia Celebration on Sunday 2 April.

She is also nominated for the Female Para-Athlete of the Year award, after winning two medals at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games last year.

“The thought of London 2017 is amazing. It’s actually pretty hard to believe, it would be an incredible experience. If I’m lucky enough to be selected to the team at the end of these Championships it would make for a pretty special week,” Holt said.

Holt was joined on the podium for the girl’s under 20 100m by Erin Cleaver (NSW, second, 13.83) and Erin Garbler (Vic, third, 17.11), with Cleaver also winning the para-athletics long jump in an Australian record of 4.62m for her T38 cerebral palsy class as part of today’s action.

Celeste Mucci (Vic) also set the track alight as she looks to open heptathlon in the coming days, clocking 13.58 (w: -0.6) to take victory in the girl’s under 20 100m hurdles from Danielle Shaw (Vic, second, 13.70) and Tyler Lima (Qld, third, 14.29).

The fastest qualifier for the final after a 13.55 (w: -0.8) heat run earlier today, Mucci also boasts a silver medal in the long jump from her hit-out alongside junior athletes these past few days.

Mucci has recently returned from the Simplot Games in Pocatelo (USA) and the 18-year-old cites her experience competing indoors as a catalyst for her continued form across the summer of athletics.

“I’m very happy, I’m consistent and I’m ready to go for the heptathlon,” Mucci said.

“I’ve had the chance to compete overseas this season, and plenty of competition here at home too, so I feel fit and ready for what comes next. To compete against the open girls will be a challenging, but I was chasing some tougher competition and they’ll definitely provide it.”

“Simplot was a great experience. We don’t have the benefit of indoors here, so to compete in that environment was pretty amazing. My results were good too, and to now have them continue at home is pretty incredible.”

In the girl’s under 18 race, Lateisha Willis (Vic) delivered a fifth Commonwealth Youth Games qualifier with her 13.50 (w: -0.7) run, while Sasha Zhoya (WA) won a second Australian Athletics Championships gold medal in the boy’s under 17 110m hurdles. He ran a meet record time of 13.60 (w: -1.9).

Zhoya yesterday cleared 4.92m in the boy’s under 16 pole vault to take victory, break the Australian record and improve the world best for athletes aged fourteen.

In other results from day three of the 2017 Australian Athletics Championships:
-          Soaring to a new personal best of 2.22m, Joseph Baldwin (Vic) qualified for the World University Games in the high jump and won gold in the boy’s under 20 event.
-          Crossing the line in 2:12.05 to win her heat, Keely Small (ACT) cruised to victory in the second heat of the girl’s under 18 800m to qualify for the final tomorrow. Heidi Demeo (Vic) is the fastest qualifier with a heat time of 2:10.82.
-          Imogen Stewart (NSW) clocked a meet record of 9:47.32 to win the girl’s under 15 3000m timed final. The first past the post in the second of two races, she shared the dais with Nicola Hogg (Vic, second, 9:54.93) and Lauren Carey (NSW, third, 10:04.95).
-          Improving the Tasmanian record in the process, Matt Hosie (Tas) cleared 4.80m to win the Australian under 20 championship in the pole vault, with Lachlan Burns (Vic, 4.55m) winning silver and Jordan Kildare (SA, 4.40m) the bronze.
-          Ned Weatherly (Vic), a bronze medallist at the IAAF World Youth Championships in 2015, reigned supreme in the boy’s under 20 hammer throw with a best mark of 69.81m.
-          Neil Janse (Qld, 77.57m, PB) and Oscar Sullivan (Qld, 72.19m, PB) qualified for the Commonwealth Youth Games after their performances in the boy’s under 18 javelin throw final, taking home gold and silver in the process.

The 2017 Australian Athletics Championships continue tomorrow, with Riley Day (Qld) returning to the track for the girl’s under 20 200m. Open competition commences on Thursday 30 March.

For more information on the 2017 Australian Athletics Championships, including results, please click here.