Tickets Punched | Aussies Impress as Mielczarek Goes Top-10

Mackenzie Mielczarek (Steve Cain) has recorded the first Australian top-10 finish of the World Athletics Under 20 Championships in Cali, while Australia will have two men in the final of the 110m Hurdles, with Tayleb Willis (Peter Benifer) and Mitchell Lightfoot (Andy Burton) lighting up the semi-finals to lead the way on a successful Day 2 in Cali.

Mielczarek mustered a 52.94m effort in the third round to fall just 32cm of the final eight, resulting in mixed emotions for the emerging Australian after an interrupted preparation. The 19-year-old rallied after throwing only 50.16m in qualifying but was hindered in producing her best at her international debut.

Willis backed up his heat win on Day 1 with a semi-final victory on Day 2 when charging over the sticks in a time of 13.62 (+0.5), while Lightfoot was forced to wait and see if his 13.57 (+0.3) was good enough to advance – a few minutes that felt like an eternity for the 19-year-old.

Willis boasts a strong form line with an unbeaten record in Cali, while Lightfoot clocked the fourth fastest time in the second round, and with three medals up for grabs between eight men – Australia might just be set to clinch their first medal of the championships.

“I had the pressure there, I had them on me, but I held me cool and took the win. It’s time to get even more mentally strong and to see what I can do in the final,” Willis said.

“Obviously its down to the best athletes in the world, I’m so happy I got the job done! I’ve been thinking about the final for a long time and worked ten times harder, and now I’m here. Hurdles is a game where it’s anybody’s race, I’m going to go in there, give it a go, and hopefully come back with a medal.”

Also booking a ticket to the world junior final was Hayley Kitching (Tim Kitching) in the Women’s 800m, continuing her breakout season with a blistering 2:02.12 personal best at just the right time – progressing with the sixth fastest time.

Kitching embraced the occasion and reverted to her typically aggressive racing style when attacking the hot early pace, rewarded with third place and a date with tomorrow’s final.

“I’m so stoked, I ran my heart out in that! I just ran the fastest race I have ever run in my life, so whatever happens, happens – I can’t be disappointed with that,” Kitching said.

“I am so confident in my training. I have had so many good sessions building across seasons, I have been getting better and better, and I have been able to back myself more. It would mean everything to me to make the final.”

Compatriot Claudia Hollingsworth (Craig Mottram) was disqualified (TR17.4.4) after a physical contest saw her step on the infield, despite finishing in second place of Semi-Final 3. An appeal from Athletics Australia was unsuccessful to the jury and the original decision by the video referee stands.  

Torching his way to a new 100m personal best of 10.30 (+0.7) when finishing of fifth place in Semi-Final 2, Connor Bond (Mick Zisti) was elated with his Australian debut after a late start in the sport – missing the final by just 0.01 of a second.

“To run a personal best in the circumstances, I have no words. I had no pressure on me and I just got out there and executed, and I got the result. I told myself I needed to soak it up more because yesterday went so quickly,” Bond said.

“I am here for the team. I was only supposed to be a relay member but this is just an added bonus.”

Isabella Guthrie (Angus McEntyre) left nothing to chance in Heat 2 of the Women’s 400m Hurdles, stretching away from the field on an adrenaline-fueled rampage before switching it off to take the win in 58.89.

“It gives me a lot of confidence and makes me feel like I can make the final. That felt really good and that 57-second run is definitely coming. I’m so glad Jas [twin sister] made it through, it’s a good experience for both of us,” Guthrie said.

“We’ll just hang out tonight. We get quite competitive and very nervous for each other; I couldn’t watch her race because I didn’t want to stress myself out.”

It was third time lucky for Taylah Cruttenden (Braiden Clarke) at the World Athletics Under 20 Championships after missing the previous two editions due to the pandemic and Australia’s withdrawal, but the 19-year-old made no mistake on international debut when charging to second place of Heat 4 in 11.58 (+0.1).

“I felt like I really executed the start but I lost my form a bit in the last 20m but it was good to hold on for second. It’s really good to have that fast competition to push you through to the line, it feels amazing to finally be here after two cancelled world juniors,” Cruttenden said.

Teammate Hayley Reynolds (Andrew Lulham) did not progress after finishing in fifth place of Heat 7 as the clock read 11.86, but will return for the Women’s 4x100m.  

Automatic qualifiers were produced in the first round of the Women’s 400m by Olympian Ellie Beer (Brett Robinson) and rising star Jasmin Guthrie (Angus McEntyre), with the pair finishing in second and fourth placings of their respective encounters to advance to tomorrow’s semi-finals.

Beer demonstrated her class en route to an equal seasons best of 53.30, remaining patient as she worked her way through the field from lane two.

“It was my first individual race internationally, I just had so much fun out there. The track here in Cali is insane, I was coming down the last 100m thinking I might just keep going!” Beer said.

Guthrie’s international debut threatened to be derailed by the toughest of the five heats, but the 18-year-old shone under pressure when running 54.02 –leaving some in the tank for tomorrow’s second round.  

Cooper Sherman (Neville Down) matched his female compatriots in progressing to the 400m semi-finals, clocking an official personal best of 47.16 to finish in sixth place, rewarded with a second-round berth when qualifying on time.

17-year-old Lachlan O’Keefe (Paul Cleary) punched his ticket to the Men’s High Jump final on Friday, clearing 2.04m to advance as the last qualifier in the field of 12. The emerging talent got off to a shaky start when requiring all three attempts at the opening height of 2.00m, before steadying the ship with a first attempt clearance at 2.04m.

Liam Georgilopoulos (Howard Arbuthnot) was good enough for ninth place in Group B of the Pole Vault Qualification round, making his way up and over 4.90 before 5.05m proved an insurmountable task on the day for the Australian.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 3/8/2022