WEEKEND REVIEW | Stellar success in run, jumps, throws and walks

Australia’s top athletes are making serious strides in the 2021 season both home and abroad, with another week of impressive performances now in the books.

In Arkansas on Saturday, Australian Charlie Hunter (Ben Thomas) capitalised on a rich vein of form, cashing in with an Australian indoor record in the mile when running 3:54.54 to eclipse Mark Fountain’s 2005 time by 0.23.

The performance came after an indoor 1:47.65 800m relay split less than 24 hours earlier – narrowly outside Joseph Deng’s Australian indoor 800m record of 1:47.27.

On Australian soil, the ACT Summer Series rolled on with a number of impressive performances.

T38 athlete Deon Kenzie (Philo Saunders) managed to break the elusive two-minute barrier for 800m, running 1:59.83 to set a new personal best in a strong showing of early-season form.

15-year-old Jaydon Page (Sebastian Kuzminski) clocked a blistering 11.11 in the 100m - a Tokyo Paralympic B qualifier in the T47 category, with the young gun establishing himself as one to watch in the years to come.

James Turner’s (Iryna Dvoskina) season credentials already featured a world record in the 200m in December, but his first 400m of the season on the weekend saw him run 52.10 – a time not far outside his 51.71 best and one that places him in rare company on the world stage in the T36 class.

Another under Dvoskina’s stable, T61 athlete Vanessa Low ran the 100m in a time of 15.16 (1.4), while Ari Gesini (T38, Sebastian Kuzminski) ran 12.38 (+1.7).

In the field at Canberra, F44 athlete Michael Burian (Nick Baltas) enjoyed his first meet as an Australian after receiving his citizenship. He hurled the javelin 58.05m to take out the event. F38 Paralympian Jayden Sawyer (Mike Barber) competed in the same event, throwing 46.06m, to place second in the multi class event. 

In the women’s javelin, Jess Bell (Mike Barber) kicked off her 2021 campaign with a distance of 49.55m.

The Joanna Stone Shield was held in Queensland, with the meet witnessing Paralympic qualifiers and blistering personal bests.

20-year-old Ella Connolly (Gary Patterson) built on her 100m best from last week, clocking 22.96 (0.6) in the 200m to surpass her old mark by 0.34 seconds and move from 30th to 16th on the Australian all-time list. In the last 17-years, only Ella Nelson and Riley Day have run faster.

After a year away from the sport, four-time world champion Isis Holt (Paul Pearce) returned to competition in impressive fashion, rewarded with Tokyo Paralympic A qualifiers in both the 100m and 200m. Holt’s times of 13.66 (+1.8) and 29.04 (+1.0) respectively, still place her among the world’s best in the T35 category.

Riley Day (Paul Pearce) proved too slick for the field in the women’s 100m – running away with the win in a time of 11.54 (-0.3).

Jake Doran (Paul di Bella) prevailed in a close finish in the men’s 100m when clocking 10.50 (+0.2), completing the double by winning the 200m in a time of 20.99 (+2.4).  

Western Australia’s pole vault stocks continued their consistent performances as they look to build ahead of Tokyo.

Nina Kennedy (Paul Burgess and James Fitzpatrick) won the women’s event when clearing 4.70m off 14-steps, ahead of Elizaveta Parnova (Paul Burgess and James Fitzpatrick) who vaulted 4.45m off 10-steps. Kennedy's result was also her third Olympic qualifier since November 2020.

Kurtis Marschall (Paul Burgess and James Fitzpatrick) is proving to be a model of consistency in 2021, vaulting 5.60m to prove too classy for Angus Armstrong (Paul Burgess and James Fitzpatrick) who managed to clear 5.20m. Both men were off 14- steps. 

The Victorian Track Relay Championships witnessed one state record fall - with Athletics Essendon’s lineup of Christopher Mitrevski, Jacob Despard, Cameron Searle and Jack Hale, coached by Adam Larcom, cementing their status as the state’s fastest ever club relay team when running 39.86 for the 4x100m. 

Personal bests were flowing at the SuperNova 5ish 10,000m Track Walk – with Australia’s best walkers in prime form ahead of the Australian 20km Championships in February.

For the women, Jemima Montag’s (Brent Vallance) time of 42:35.0 was the fastest ever walked on Australian soil over the distance, which would have secured the Australian all-comers record and moved her into second place on the Australian all-time rankings had the time been ratified. The walk comes as a significant personal best for Montag – who appears ready to grasp her opportunities on the world stage in 2021. 

Katie Hayward (Steve Langley) was next for the women in 44:22.0, ahead of Bec Henderson (Simon Baker) with a personal best of 45:20.0, and Alana Peart (Wayne Pert) who clocked 48:36.0. 

The mixed race was taken out by Rhydian Cowley (Brent Vallance) in a swift time of 39:14.0, with the Australian star challenged valiantly by Declan Tingay (Steven Tingay) who finished in second place in a time of 39:17.37. Kyle Swan (Brent Vallance) was third when clocking 40:28.0.

In fourth place was young gun Will Thompson (Brent Vallance), storming his way home to obliterate the World Junior standard when walking a time of 41:50.0 in a convincing display from the promising prospect.

By Lachlan Moorhouse
Posted: 1/2/2021