Okerenyang Puts Polish on New South Wales Trophy

Triple jumper Daniel Okerenyang (Greg Wiencke) has added shine to a golden 2022 Australian All Schools Championships for team New South Wales, leaping into history with an Australian Under 16 record to deliver an emphatic finish as his team raised the trophy with 220 medals. 

Australian representative triple jumpers have been few and far between over the past two decades and now Okerenyang has become a beacon of light after eclipsing the Australian U16 record by an astounding 24cm at the 2022 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Championships. 

Okerenyang surprised himself in the final moments of competition, landing 14.79m (0.0) to win All Schools glory. Coming close to the 14.55m record once owned by promising junior Aiden Hinson on his second jump (14.54), the NSW athlete dug deep and remembered his reasoning to travel to Adelaide when standing on the runway on his last attempt.

“The main reason I came to Adelaide today was to get the Australian record. I competed a few weeks ago in Canberra and after getting 14.43, I was excited to come here and get it.” Okerenyang said.

“I didn’t really do a pre-season this year because I did soccer and footy so I had two weeks of pre-season, so it’s been a big surprise to jump so well, but it gives me a lot of confidence going into the future so we’ll see what we can do.”

The versatile Delta Amidzovski (Roger Fabri) made it a golden double in the Under 17 ranks following on from her long jump victory on Day Two, returning in her pet event of the 100m hurdles to register a meet record of 13.45 (-1.0) - bettering Michelle Jenneke’s state record over the 76.2cm barriers. Jasynta Lampret also eclipsed the meet record with her 13.52 earning her silver to make it a New South Wales quinella. 

Also delivering meet records on Day Three were Queensland’s Seth Kennedy and New South Wales’ Matilda Webb, with Kennedy completing one lap of the track in 48.78 to win the Under 15 title, and Webb placing herself in elite company when surpassing Jemima Montag’s Under 14 3000m Walk mark of 14:25.13 with a performance of 14:21.15. 

North Queensland’s Jett Grundy (Paul Keating) continues his rise to stardom with his sixth personal best of 2022, tearing around the track to clock 47.19 over 400m and clinch Under 18 gold. The 17-year-old is enjoying his rapid progress as much as anyone, having entered the year with a personal best of 50.31. 

“I’m pretty happy with the time! I was aiming to go a bit faster but I’ve been quite sick the past few weeks. Winning was all that mattered to me today, since Oceania I have cut a whole second of my personal best, it’s been crazy,” Grundy said.

Victoria’s Samuel Elvey (Peter Benifer) ran his way to a valiant silver in an equal career best of 47.95.

Also impressing over 400m was hometown hero Charlotte McAuliffe (Nik Hagicostas) who obliterated her personal best to cause a boilover in the Under 16 Women’s bout, clocking 54.50 en route to the title. 

“I really didn’t know how I was going to go, but I was in lane seven so I got to run my own race - it definitely suited me. The time is a personal best by over one second so I am very happy,” McAulliffe said.

800m champion Ivy Boothroyd (Jacinta Doyle) of New South Wales challenged strongly to finish second in 54.89, with teammate Shari Hurdman (Vanessa Price) rounding out a star-studded podium in 55.53. 

South Australia’s Marley Raikiwasa (Steve Larsson) continued her domination of the Australian All Schools Championships, this time claiming another gold in the U18 Girls Shot Put.  

The World Under 20 Championships representative may be best known for her prowess in the discus, but put versatility to the test and produced a new personal personal and state record to match with a 16.88m throw on her fifth attempt. 

The dual gold medallist defeated New South Wales duo Emily Richardson (14.98m) and Emma Polikowski (14.30m) by two metres, demonstrating her strength as she looks to become Australia’s next world class thrower.

World Under 20 finalist Lachlan O’Keefe (Paul Cleary) impressed with his high-flying display in the Under 18 High Jump, soaring over 2.07m after encountering difficulty at 2.01m. O’Keefe then raised the bar to 2.12m but narrowly missed on his third attempt. 

Toby Stolberg (Theresa Stolberg) had high hopes of toppling the All Schools meet record but it was not to be for the World Under 20 Championships representative as she battled through injury to finish her campaign with a 1.78m clearance. Despite the hinderance, the Queenslander won on countback, taking the prize from teammate Zoe Peacock. 

Gout Gout (Diane Sheppard) flexed his form as Australia’s fastest Under 16 sprinter in history, backing up his two Australian records over 200m on Day One of the Championships with a slick win over 100m in 10.71 (+0.1) seconds. The 15-year-old was challenged early but soon hit maximum velocity, stretching away from the field to win gold. 

Rising para distance star, 17-year-old Angus Hincksman (Simon Moran) added another achievement to his list of accolades, when storming home in 2:02.02 in the Under 18 Boys Para 800m.While not an event at the Paralympic Games for T38 athletes, the result scores at 96.52 per cent of the world record, boosting his confidence as he looks to compete on his first Australian team next year at the World Para Athletics Championships. The gold medal is his second strong performance of the week, having clocked a strong performance of 4:04.00 in the U18 Boys 1500m on Day 1 of competition. 

More than 10m separated Lachlan Buckman (Des Davis) from his competitors, as he took the All Schools crown in the Under 17 boys javelin. The gold medal belonged to the Queenslander from the first throw of competition, but it was his 68.94m launch on his third attempt that sealed the deal. 

Fleur Cooper (Ben Liddy) tuned silver to gold in the Under 16 1500m after her second place finish in the 800mon Day Two, roaring away from the field with a dominant final lap to stop the clock in 4:26.18. The emerging talent was pleased with an official personal best after last week’s bronze at the Australian Mile Championships. 

The Small State Trophy, awarded to the winner of all other states was taken home by South Australia who scored 120 medals over three days of competition. 
 

Meet Records on Day 3 of the Australian All Schools Championships:

Under 17 Girls 100m Hurdles - Delta Amidzoski - 13.45 (-1.0) 
Under 17 Girls 100m Hurdles - Jasynta Lampret - 13.52 (-1.0) 
Under 16 Boys Triple Jump - Daniel Okerenyang - 14.79 (0.0) 
Under 15 Boys 400m - Seth Kennedy - 48.78
Under 14 Girls 3000m Walk - Matilda Webb - 14:21.25

Gold Medal Tally after Day 3:

New South Wales - 73 Gold, 73 Silver, 74 Bronze (220)
Queensland - 55 Gold, 54 Silver, 53 Bronze (162)
Victoria - 39 Gold, 38 Silver, 43 Bronze (120)
South Australia - 21 Gold, 21 Silver, 12 Bronze (54)
Western Australia - 11 Gold, 12 Silver, 15 Bronze (38)
Australian Capital Territory - 10 Gold, 6 Silver, 6 Bronze (22)
North Queensland - 5 Gold, 6 Silver, 8 Bronze (19)
Tasmania - 4 Gold, 7 Silver, 5 Bronze (16)

By Sascha Ryner and Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 11/12/2022