It’s been a great week at Sydney Olympic Park

The 2017 Australian Athletics Championships have drawn to a close and what a week it has been for track and field in Australia!

Pitting the nation’s best able-bodied and para-athletes of all ages against each other in the race for the coveted title of national champion, results at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre include national and world records, qualifiers a plenty for the World Para-Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships and many other highlights, including the triumphant return of Sally Pearson to the 100m hurdles.

As the countdown to the 2018 instalment begins, relive all the highlights via our review of open competition at the Australian Athletics Championships wrap below.

Sally Pearson wins eighth national crown as many book London spot on final day

Taking to the track for the first round and blitzing the field to clock an IAAF World Championships qualification standard of 12.75 (w: +1.6), the London Olympic champion was unmatched in the final where she crossed the line in wind-assisted 12.53 (w: +2.3) to claim gold from Brianna Beahan (WA, second, 12.96) and Michelle Jenneke (NSW, third, 13.12).

“I’ve been nervous about this for two weeks. I don’t know why I put so much pressure on myself, and I know that (the final) time was illegal but I am safe with the heat time. I’ve got the qualifier and I’m through,” Pearson said.

Dani Stevens (NSW), Hamish Peacock (Tas), Damien Birkinhead (Vic), Ella Nelson (NSW), Lauren Wells (ACT) and Kurtis Marschall (SA) also confirmed their start at London 2017 at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre today.

Competing in the women’s discus throw, Samuels, who narrowly missed a medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games last year, has cemented her spot as a contender at the IAAF World Championships with a convincing 65.07m throw to claim gold.

Peacock impressed in the men’s javelin, with his winning mark of 84.34m being one of three throws beyond the IAAF World Championships qualifying standard, while the previously qualified Birkinhead hurled 19.80m to win back-to-back Australian titles in the men’s shot put and clinch his position on the green and gold team.

Nelson crossed the line second in the women’s 200m in 23.91 (w: -2.6) as Toea Wisil (Qld) reigned supreme to ensure her victory in the sprint double. Disappointed by her result, the Olympic semi-finalist Nelson understands that team selection is most important.

“I’m shocked by that result, I feel like I am in better shape than that. I’m in though. That’s the most important thing. I’ve got it done,” Nelson said.

Wells’ victory in the women’s 400m hurdles is her tenth national crown in the discipline, while Marschall cleared 5.45m in wet conditions to win the men’s pole vault and his ensure his automatic selection.

In other results on the final day of the 2017 Australian Athletics Championships:
-        Ryan Gregson (Vic) took line honours in a hard-fought men’s 1500m, crossing the line in 3:52.86 to take victory from Matthew Ramsden (WA, second, 3:53.12) and Will Austin-Cray (NSW, third, 3:53.68).
-        In a time of 2:05.56, Lora Storey (NSW) won her maiden national 800m crown, as Olympic 4x400m relay finalist Anneliese Rubie (NSW) claimed silver (2:05.93) and Georgia Griffith (Vic) the bronze (2:06.00)
-        Ella Pardy (WA), who has cerebral palsy, won gold in the women’s ambulant 200m in a time of 28.60 (w: -5.1), as Rio 2016 Paralympic champion James Turner (NSW) reigned supreme in the men’s event in a time of 25.01 (w: -0.1).
-        With a clearance of 1.83m, Eleanor Patterson (Vic) won the women’s high jump. She shared the podium with Zoe Timmers (WA, second, 1.83m) and Clare Gibson (WA, third, 1.83m).
-        The 14-year-old Sasha Zhoya (WA) won a fifth Australian Athletics Championships gold medal in junior events. His trophy cabinet includes the national crown in the under 16 pole vault, under 17 pole vault, under 16 long jump, under 16 200m and the under 17 110m hurdles.

Morgan Mitchell and Kelsey-Lee Roberts London bound after day seven

Taking to the start line for the women’s 400m final with two qualification standards under her belt, Mitchell (Vic) glided down the back straight before surging toward home at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre to take victory in 52.08.

“I’m interested to see what my splits were, maybe I went a little hard early, but all I wanted was the win. Now I can focus on getting ready for overseas. The goal every year in the domestic season is to get your spot on the team and then keep moving forward,” Mitchell said.

3rd national 400m title and secured my spot for world champs in london💃🏾 #AAC17 VID- @_lewchris pic.twitter.com/uhHx6sfD5C

— Morgan Mitchell (@morganmitch2) April 1, 2017

Steve Solomon (NSW) won the men’s race to ensure his fifth Australian 400m Championship.

Crossing the line in 46.66 to edge out Jackson Collett (NSW, second, 46.77) and Alex Beck (Qld, third. 46.83).

Roberts secured her start at the IAAF World Championships with a first round throw of 61.40m, equal to the qualifying standard, in the final of the women’s javelin to claim her maiden national crown.

Luke Mathews (Vic) showed grit in the men’s 800m, stopping the clock in 1:46.71 to win a second consecutive national 800m crown from the also impressive Joshua Ralph (NSW, second, 1:46.76) and Alexander Rowe (Vic, third, 1:47.29).

“I feel like I came into this as an underdog, a bit like Bolt in Beijing in 2015. I really wanted that one, when Ralph came past me I thought I was done, but I knew that so many athletes fade in the final 50 metres so I had to keep going. I thought I was going to have to dive across,” Mathews said.

In the men’s and women’s 100m finals, Toea Wisil (Qld, 11.42, +0.4), who competes for Papua New Guinea internationally, and Trae Williams (Qld, 10.29, +0.1) took line honours to win the blue riband event of the Australian Athletics Championships.

Rio 2016 Paralympic Games gold medallist Scott Reardon (ACT), who is a leg amputee, won the men’s ambulant 100m national crown in 12.44 (w: 0.0) from Evan O’Hanlon (NSW) and Brayden Davidson (SA), while Kobie Donovan (Qld) ran 20.36 (w: +1.0) to win the women’s race ahead of Isis Holt (Vic) and Ella Pardy (WA).

In other results on day seven of the 2017 Australian Athletics Championships:
-        Katherine Proudfoot (NSW), who has cerebral palsy, threw a world record 7.04m to win the women’s secured shot put. The silver medal was won by Louise Ellery (ACT, 4.04m).
-        Clocking 3:38.18, Jake Lappin (ACT) was victorious in the men’s wheelchair 1500m, with Paralympic Games medallist Madison de Rozario (WA) winning the women’s race in 3:50.27.
-        Heidi See (NSW) won a third consecutive women’s 1500m title, clocking 4:23.99 to take line honours from Zoe Buckman (Vic, second, 4:24.33) and Linden Hall (Vic, third, 4:24.53).
-        Throwing 61.56m in the fourth round, Julian Wruck (Qld) won gold in the men’s discus throw from Rio 2016 charge Matthew Denny (Qld, second, 61.28m).
-        Eliza McCartney (NZL) cleared 4.50m to win the women’s pole vault, with Liz Parnov (WA) claiming the national crown after she leapt 4.30m.

Dubler, Bird-Smith and Denny snare gold on day six

Cedric Dubler (QLD) has gone back-to-back in the men’s open decathlon, finishing with 7779 points after a gruelling 10-event program across two days of competition. While he fell short of last year’s Olympic qualifying performance, Cedric’s feat in difficult conditions was commendable as the 13th best point score by an Australian ever.

“I’m very happy. It’s been a tough few days with the weather and a few little niggles, but just to be out here with the boys and competing well - I’m very happy with that,” the 22-year-old said.

Alysha Burnett took out the women’s heptathlon title with a point score of 5817 - a world university games qualifier.

In the ambulant 1500m, Rio Paralympic medallist Deon Kenzie (Tas) smashed his own world record, stopping the clock in 4:05.11.

Other qualifiers in for the upcoming championships in London include Paralympic gold medallist James Turner (NSW) in the T36 400m and Torita Isaac (QLD) in the T38 400m.

Dane Bird-Smith (QLD) smashed the field in the men’s 10,000m race walk to win the national title stopping the clock in 10-second personal best time of 38:34.23.

Katie Heywood took out the women’s event in 45:51.09 and 17 years-of-age becomes the youngest ever Australian champion over the distance.