Super Saturday Awaits at Australian Athletics Championships

The race for Paris is about to get a whole lot hotter in Adelaide at the 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships, with pole vault world champion Nina Kennedy and Diamond League discus champion Matthew Denny leading a field frenzy, while the nation’s middle-distance debate is settled over 1500m and the blue riband events are run.

In one of the most anticipated events of the championships, the Men’s 1500m showdown will feature the only two Australian men in history to shatter the 3:30 barrier, national record holder Oliver Hoare (NSW, Dathan Ritzenhein) and Stewart McSweyn (TAS, Nic Bideau).

The Olympic finalists will meet their match in teenage sensation Cameron Myers (ACT, Dick Telford) and Adam Spencer (VIC, Mick Byrne) who have already nailed the Olympic standard alongside McSweyn, while Jesse Hunt (WA, Craig Mottram) and Jack Anstey (QLD, Stephen Haas) add to one of the deepest finals in the history of the championships.

Claiming national silver in 2023 as the underdog and now approaching as one of the favourites, 17-year-old Myers has proved that one year is a long time in athletics:

“It goes to show that if you are healthy and consistent, things happen. I’m looking forward to the final, I think I’m in the best possible spot for me to execute my race. It’s going to take a good close, but you have to be prepared for everything,” Myers said.

The Women’s 1500m will be equally hot, as defending champion Jessica Hull (NSW, Simon Hull) meets national record holder Linden Hall (VIC, Ned Brophy-Williams) and the in-form Georgia Griffith (VIC, Nic Bideau). Thursday’s heats gave little away and Hull gave even less post-race, anticipating today’s final to be “a battle”.

Landing herself on top of the world at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Australia’s golden girl Nina Kennedy (WA, Paul Burgess & James Fitzpatrick) is back on track and ready to fire in the Women’s Pole Vault, posting a 4.62m season opener last month.

“I’m taking this approach of every single competition this season is a practice for Paris. I have my goals, I have my expectations and I have my processes – they are just box ticking exercises. I do really want to jump quite high on Saturday,” Kennedy said.

Reigning Diamond League champion Matthew Denny (QLD, Dale Stevenson) is poised to let loose as he chases Australian title number seven in the Men’s Discus, eager to ramp up his Paris preparations after a championship record of 66.68m in qualifying.

Australia’s fastest men and women will be crowned at the SA Athletics Stadium as 10.01-second man Rohan Browning (NSW, Andrew Murphy) prepares to steal the show in the Men’s 100m after breezing through the first-round, while Bree Masters (QLD, Ryan Hoffman) posted the fastest time in qualifying for the women in 11.48 (+0.9).

The Para titles will be decided in the 100m Ambulant events, as the white tiger Chad Perris (ACT, Matt Beckenham, T11) gets ready to roar alongside Jaydon Page (ACT, Sebastian Kuzminski, T47), while rising stars Mali Lovell (NSW, Katie Edwards & Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, T36) and Abby Craswell (QLD, Andrew Craswell & Sebastian Kuzminski, T36) look to bolster their Paralympic campaigns alongside Rhiannon Clarke (WA, Danny Kevan, T38).

Adding to the action in the field, Australia’s Olympic finalist trio is bound for the Women’s Javelin final, with back-to-back world champion Kelsey-Lee Barber (QLD, Mike Barber), World Championships bronze medallist Mackenzie Little (NSW, Angus McEntyre) and Australian record holder Kathryn Mitchell (VIC, Uwe Hohn) ready to fire.

Fresh off a 2.30m clearance in Melbourne last week, World Championships representative Yual Reath (VIC, Paul Cleary) is ready for takeoff at the SA Athletics Stadium as he builds towards his Olympic dream, taking on reigning champion Joel Baden (VIC, Sandro Bisetto) in the Men’s High Jump where Olympic qualification stands at 2.33m.

Ellie Beer (QLD, Brett Robinson) clocked the fastest time in the Women’s 400m semi-finals in 53.20 to cement her place in tonight’s final, alongside Alanah Yukich (WA, Jackie Streete-Thompson), and Victoria’s Mikaela Selaidinakos (VIC, Steve Gaffney). Cooper Sherman (VIC, Neville Down) will lead the charge in the Men’s 400m final, having clocked 46.29 in the semi-finals.

The nation’s rising stars will continue to pave their path to Peru as Delta Amidzovski (NSW, Becky Amidzovski & Roger Fabri) returns to the Australian Championships after shattering Sally Pearson’s Under 18 national 100m Hurdles (76.2cm) record last year, also doubling back in the afternoon for the Under 20 Women’s Long Jump.

Sprint sensation Gout Gout (QLD, Diane Sheppard) will eye the second leg of the Under 20 sprint double after running down the field in 10.48 (+1.1) in the 100m, ready to warm into the home straight with his trademark finish, while William Wong (VIC, Eric Wong) will look to cap off a season to remember in the Under 20 Men’s 110m Hurdles.

The 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships will be streamed live and free on Seven’s digital platform, 7plus.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 13/4/2024