Recap: Day 3 Australian Track and Field Championships

Mitchell Lightfoot says he knows “absolutely nothing” about Colombia, but after punching his ticket to the 2022 World Athletics Championships to be held in Cali this August – he and a host of fellow Australian juniors can book in Spanish lessons off the back of securing automatic berths on day three of the 2022 Australian Track and Field Championships.

Little could separate Lightfoot (NSW) and Tayleb Willis (VIC) on paper, and so too in the Men’s Under 20 110m Hurdles final – with the man from Maitland eventually prevailing in a time of 13.59 to Willis’ 13.61.  

Willis has long been the man to beat in the junior hurdling ranks, but the in-form Lightfoot proved too strong on the day as he came over the top to win his maiden national title and an automatic berth for the World Athletics Under 20 Championships.

“It just shows you that hard work really does pay off. I know how hard everyone has worked to get into that final and just how hard I have worked, so to be able to go to Colombia is mind blowing,” Lightfoot said.

The nation’s two premier junior hurdlers are likely to be teammates in Colombia, with Lightfoot saying the heated competition will only push both Willis and himself to far greater heights in the future.

“We’ve been neck and neck for the last few seasons but there’s so much respect, I don’t really see it as a rivalry. If we both run our best, something great will happen,” Lightfoot said.

Jasmin Guthrie (NSW) reigned supreme in the Under 20 Women’s 400m bout in a new personal best time of 53.73, pulling away from the field in the back half to clinch the national title and automatic World Athletics Under 20 Championships berth.

The first five women across the line hit the world junior qualifying standard, with Mia Powell (54.35, NZ), Txai Anglin (54.74, QLD), Annie Pfeiffer (54.70, WA) and Paige Campbell (54.86, NSW) running strongly – but their efforts were in vain as Guthrie showed a clean pair of heels.  

“I could have got out a bit harder at the start, but I followed my race plan which was really good. I am really happy with that personal best, I feel like I could go quicker but it was a good race I’m glad to come away with the win,” Guthrie said.

“I was so relieved. It was a tough race with everyone else running so well but my finish was better than it usually is.”

Isabella Guthrie (NSW) will be looking to complete the double for the twin sisters in tomorrow’s Under 20 Women’s 400m Hurdles final after looking sensational in today’s first round, watch the clock.

Katie Gunn (NSW) took home the win in the Under 20 Women’s Long Jump with a leap of 6.09m, securing the automatic selection to represent Australia at the 2022 World Athletics Under 20 Championships. Gunn proved too classy for the quality field assembled for the event, winning the competition by 15cm. The Under 20 Men’s competition was won by Blake Shaw (VIC) with 7.49m.

Archie Noakes (VIC) completed leg two of his ambitious triple at this year’s national championships, clocking 8:59.99 to win the Under 20 Men’s 3000m Steeplechase after already winning the 5000m on Saturday – leaving only tomorrow’s 3000m timed finals. Flynn Pumpa (9:06.68, QLD) and Alexander Kwa (9:06.85, TAS) punched in world junior qualifiers of their own, with one of them to fill the remaining discretionary spot on the Australian Under 20 Team.

Queensland’s Laura McKillop delivered a stunning 21-second personal best to win the Under 20 Women’s 3000m Steeplechase, clocking a world junior qualifier of 10:18.64 en route to national triumph. Emily Morden (VIC) recorded her second world junior qualifier of 10:30.27 to finish in second place, whilst Abigail Thomas (VIC) also qualified in 10:35.88 when claiming bronze.

In the heats of the Under 20 Men’s 200m, Calab Law (QLD) made his performance of 20.89 look like a canter after tearing around the bend in aggressive fashion to qualify fastest for tomorrow’s final.  Lachlan Kennedy (QLD) bounced back in style after falling in the final of the 100m, clocking his first world junior qualifier of 21.16 ahead of the final, whilst Connor Bond (NSW) eased up in the straight to run 21.25.

In the Under 20 Women’s 200m heats it was all about Torrie Lewis (QLD) who eased to victory in 23.61 and can be expected to do the same in tomorrow’s final.

There were no casualties in the heats of the Under 20 Men’s 800m, but it was Lachlan Cornelius (QLD) who recorded the fastest qualifying time of 1:50.71 – securing his first world junior qualifier. Charlie Jeffreson (NSW) made light work of his heat and remains the man to beat in tomorrow’s final.

Meanwhile in the Under 20 Women’s 800m, the big names of Hayley Kitching (NSW), Sayla Donnelly (QLD) and Montana Monk (NSW) all safely progressed with style.

An upset ensued in the Under 20 Men’s 400m with Australia’s only world junior qualifier in the event, Kyle Bennet (QLD), disqualified (TR 22.6.1) – leaving the event wide open. Dominic Panozzo (NSW) and Hugo Hanak (VIC) won their respective heats and will be chasing the win and world junior standard of 53.20.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 28/03/2022