RSVP ASAP for Presentation

Athletics Wollongong's 2022/23 Season Presentation is being held on May 6th from 6pm.  It's a fun and light-hearted evening where you have the opportunity to congratulate your clubmates on their performances, and they can congratulate you on yours as well!

Awards will be presented for club service, improvement, and achievement.  Athlete eligibility for most of these has already been published in the event listing on the club website: https://www.athleticswollongong.org.au/events/177986/.  Nominees for the remaining major trophies will be announced over the next two weeks to build on the hype for the evening.

We'll have some lucky door prizes there as well as serve some snacks to keep the energy levels high.  For this reason, we are asking members to RSVP ASAP - so that we ensure that it is catered appropriately.  Go to the club website event listing, click the RSVP button and enter your name and how many people in your family will be coming along.  There's no need to log in (that just pre-fills the data fields) and - if there are multiple club members in your family - then just one RSVP covering everyone is fine.

Get set for a great night!  See you there!

Tennis Club

The Wollongong Tennis Club - our neighbours in the Beaton Park Sporting Precinct - will once again be the venue for our Presentation Night.  Drinks will be available from the downstairs bar and those whose hunger won't be satisfied by the snacks we provide are encouraged to fill up at the bistro either before or after Presentation. 

Here's how you can save money at the Tennis Club *and* help Athletics Wollongong: as a sponsor of our club this season, AW will earn a percentage of the money spent at the bar by Tennis Club members who are our affiliates!

Tennis Club memberships start from as little as $10 for 1 year and $5 for age pensioners. To join up, complete your membership form - either available at the venue or online here: https://bit.ly/3RMXaMK - noting 'Athletics Wollongong' as your club affiliation.  If you're an existing Tennis club member, ask them to affiliate your membership with us.  Submit your form and enjoy the savings!

Annual General Meeting

As an incorporated association, Athletics Wollongong must hold an annual general meeting where the club's financials are presented to members and officebearers are elected for the following year.  Athletics Wollongong's AGM will be held on June 13th.

You'll hear more about it as the time approaches (we'll be sending an email to the address you registered with) but at this stage we encourage everyone to give some serious thought regarding how they might participate on the club committee.  Many of the current members are pulling double duty (or more!) to fill vacancies, as well as having been around for 15+ years.  It's unfair to lump all the work on such a small number, as well as unhealthy for an organisation not to have new blood in decision-making roles.  Growth comes from new ideas or from challenging the status quo - without growth, the club could stagnate.

Here are the position descriptions for the roles that will be up for election at the AGM:

• Management Committee roles
• Support Position roles

We are very interested in speaking with anyone who has an interest.  Please contact athleticswollongong@gmail.com, or speak with a current committee member, for an obligation-free chat.

New Equipment is on the way!

Athletics Wollongong were one of the lucky recipients of funds from the 2022-23 Local Sport Grant Program, with thanks to the NSW Government's Office of Sport and local rep, MP Paul Scully, who was the arbiter of applications in our electorate. 

Just over $2000 - along with $1000 of the club's own money - will be going towards refreshing our throws equipment.  It's important that our members are using implements that are of the appropriate specifications, standards and condition.  AW's meets are very popular and the price of that popularity is that the gear wears out over time.  By the start of next season though we will have updated our shot, discus and javelins so that members can experience throws events as they would at State and National Championships.

There's good news for our track athletes also.  At the South Coast Region Champs (see below), our distance running athletes very much enjoyed competing with a race clock.  The Club Committee have committed to acquiring one of our own ahead of next season.

With our electronic timing, our stock of club vaulting poles, and these coming improvements, we are the best resourced club in the area by a wide margin.  We endeavour to continue to provide the ultimate competitive experience possible for our members!

Winter Membership

ANSW have a new competitive member registration available that is active only from April 1st to Septmber 30th; it's called a 'Winter' membership.  This gives athletes eligibility to compete in their cross country and walking Championships.  Note that if you already hold a full competitive membership with Athletics Wollongong - i.e. Dual, Concession or Open - then you DO NOT need to purchase this Winter membership to contest Winter events.  Your existing membership is valid all the way until the end of the season (September 30th) and you already have eligibility to enter these events.

If you're a Volunteer or Community member who wishes to contest the upcoming Championships though, you'll have to upgrade your existing membership via the club website.  Just login and follow the Upgrade Membership link.

ANSW Winter Calendar

ANSW's Winter Championship calendar is underway, with the first event - the St George Classic, incorporating the NSW Novice Championships - being held this weekend past.

Athletics Wollongong had a small contingent participating, including Emma O'Sullivan who took out the 45-49 Women's division and finished 8th overall.  Vice President Tom Schambron contested the 10km Men's Race and Kaja Wolter made her club debut in the 5km Fun Run.

Upcoming ANSW events are listed on their calendar HERE.

AW's Winter Distance Pointscore

Athletics Wollongong will also be holding a Winter Distance Pointscore, with the competition window opening in two weeks' time. Where's it held? Wherever you want it to be!

To participate, members can contest any parkrun event, held at various locations from 8am on Saturday mornings.  There are local editions at Sandon Point, North Wollongong, Killalea and Bowral but, if you're traveling or on holiday, you can find plenty more listed at https://www.parkrun.com.au.  You'll also need to create a free profile on that site and associate yourself with Athletics Wollongong (else alert our Winter Season Co-ordinator Ron Perry to your performances within a day or two of them happening). 

The competition window is open for four months: May 1st to August 31st.  Participants' top six age-graded performance percentages over this time will be averaged to determine the overall winners (and Most Improved if you also participated last year).  You can find more info regarding it all HERE.

This year we'll also be having a lucky draw, with each parkrun you participate in earning you another chance at winning.  Let's get running!

Australian Open & U20 Championships Results

The Australian U20 and Open Championships had strong representation from AW, with 12 participants qualifying for the event and making the trek to Brisbane. The team put on, arguably, the best performance by the club in the Open division in decades. 

While we've enjoyed recent success in the individual para events, in able-bodied competition it had been a long time since AW made the medal dais.  Chelsy Wayne would change all that though, with the 15 year old securing a bronze in the Open Discus.  2013 was the last time this feat was achieved in a field event: with it being even longer on the track!  Mitchell O'Neill, however, reset that clock as well, winning bronze in the Open 200m.  This was the first time an AW track athlete had medalled since 2008.  For a male athlete, we have to go all the way back to 1988!

In the U20s division, the bronze rush continued apace: both Genevieve Bosker and Kailee Moore also earned 3rd place finishes in the High Jump and 100m Hurdles, respectively.

The relays saw further success for our reps, with Tierney Dunne helping the NSW team to victory in the Open 4x400m, and Paris Bamford doing the same in the U20s.

Both Chelsy Wayne and Tayissa Buchanan were also able to achieve Youth Commonwealth Games qualifiers during the Championships. The Games are an international multi-sport event that is held every four years for athletes from Commonwealth countries who are aged between 14 and 18 years old. This achievement demonstrates the level of talent that these athletes possess and their potential to represent their country at a high level in the future.

Full results of our members are available HERE.

Australian Junior Championships Results

The Australian Junior Championships showcased the incredible talent of the country's young athletes, with 21 AW members competing across a range of events.

The undisputed star of the Champs was Delta Amidzovski, who not only took out the U18 Long Jump with a Commonwealth Youth Games qualifier, but also won the U18 100m Hurdles with a performance that transcended athletics fandom.  In breaking the Australian junior record, previously jointly held by Sally Pearson - who would go on to be World and Olympic Champion, she became the hottest story coming out of the event.  Appearances on the Today show followed, along with stories in every major newspaper.  Delta was also one of only two "graduating" athletes who had won their event at every Nationals since debuting in the youngest category: and she did it in two of them!

Also winning U18 gold with a Commonwealth Youth Games qualifier was Chelsy Wayne, improving on her U20 and Opens discus throws, both in distance and in medal colour!

Making his debut at the Australian Championships - along with the U13 category that he contested - Michael Melfi proved to be the sprints king, winning the 100m and 200m, and then running up in the U14s to help the NSW 4x100m relay team to another gold.

Also making their way onto the podium from Athletics Wollongong were:

• Maiya Hewitt achieving double silver in the U15 Long Jump and U15 Triple Jump
• Harry Keats earning a silver medal in the U14 800m and a bronze in the U14 400m
• Ben Pittman securing a bronze medal in the U18 Discus (primary club Illawong)
• Charlize Colwell winning a bronze medals in the U17 Para Ambulant 400m
• Naomi Gibson soaring to a bronze medal in the U18 Pole Vault
• Tayissa Buchanan scoring a bronze medal in the U18 800m

Full results of our members are available HERE.

Australian Masters Results

Our Masters athletes were first of our ranks to hold their Australian Championships, with a very impressive 23 members participating.

At the conclusion of the event, Athletics Wollongong had the following National Champions:

• Adrian See (M45 100m, 200m)
• Anthony Howlett (M55 400m Hurdles, High Jump, Triple Jump, Javelin)
• Belinda Vermey (W40 Long Jump)
• Emma O’Sullivan (W45 1500m, 5000m, 10000m, 2000m Steeplechase, 8km Cross Country)
• Montse Ros (W40 Pole Vault)
• Rina Flynn (W60 Outdoor Pentathlon; primary club IBS)
• Rodney Tebbutt (M50 Javelin)
• Romina Garcia (W40 1500m Walk)
• Tim Bradford (M35 200m)
• William Tyler (M60 Pole Vault)

Full results of AW members are available HERE.

World Masters Indoors Championships Results

While our Masters enjoyed having Sydney as the host of the 2023 Australian Championships, one of our number showed that they were prepared to go to all ends of the Earth to pursue their athletics.  Donna Hiscox travelled to Poland to contest the World Masters Indoors Championships, competing in the discus and hammer.  That's quite a way to go for a throw!

Mountain Running Championships Results

Another Masters member will shortly be setting off overseas to compete.  Emma O'Sullivan recently contested the joint NSW-Australian Mountain Running Championships, held at Orange.  Continuing her rapid rise, she took out the 40-49 Women's division, but she also finished with a bronze medal in the Opens.  This has seen her selected in the Australian team going to the World Mountain Running and Trail Running Championships, being held in Austria this June.  A Masters athlete in an Open team!  What an incredible achievement by Emma.

Stawell Gift/Singapore Open

Mitchell O'Neill has truly kicked on from his bronze medal at the Australian Open Championships.  Since then, he created quite a buzz at the Stawell Gift, the richest footrace in the world with $40,000 going to the winners.  He impressed with a commanding win in his heat, before he was unlucky to meet one of the race favourites in his semi.  He finished second and while that wasn't good enough to progress, it was certainly good enough to be noticed.

Mitch is currently in Southeast Asia, about to contest the Singapore Open.  This event attracts some of the top athletes, and several national and world records have been set there over the years.  Best of luck to you, Mitch!

Little A's Championships Results

An incredible 46 of our Dual members contested the NSW Little A's State Championships, demonstrating that we are the club of choice for promising young local athletes.  Two members - Harry Keats and Emily Benefiel - were also selected to represent NSW at the Australian Little Athletics Championships teams competition.  Harry did particularly well, taking out the 400m and 800m events there, with the latter in record time.

South Coast Region Championships Results

Last held in the 1990s, the South Coast Region Championships made a return to the local calendar this season.  It was very much a test event, with the clubs determining whether there was an appetite for it, as well as how it might continue to be held in the future. 

The timing of the Championships were such that they would be the 'grand final' for social athletes - a last opportunity to set a season best in every event - and a final, quality hit-out for those going to Nationals.  Some coaches said the timing was all wrong, whereas others said the timing was perfect; you can't please everyone, of course.  What was unanimous in approval was naming many of the events after successful athletes from the region.  Several of these made their heartfelt appreciation for the honour known, while some others still living locally made an effort to get to the track for "their" events.  We had Olympians helping put out the gear and starting races!  What could be more inspiring to our local athletes than that!?

It's pretty much certain that the event will be returning next season, with a few tweaks based on our experiences this time around.  We hope that you'll join us!

AW's End of Season Special Results

Our End of Season Special saw big prizemoney on offer in the 60m Skins Champion of Champions.  Joining Anthony Howlett's continuing personal sponsorship this season, was FitTech Studios.  All combined, $300 was up for grabs in these series of knock-out handicapped 60m races with low recovery.  Taking out the big money was the smallest - and youngest - runner in the club: Xavier Curtis.  The occasion saw him improve markedly from his regular season performances, his handicap moving back 9m from the preliminary rounds to the one-and-done final.  With his new mark, he didn't have it all his own way, finishing just 0.01s ahead of Kaylee Reid-O'Brien.  Shady Cosgrove was also a big improver, following some last-minute coaching that saw her cross the line in 3rd.

The other big event of the evening was the 800m Chocolate Run, with our backmarker Joe Hinds giving nearly 3 minutes' headstart to the bunnies out front.  It was a fascinating race, with the winner only becoming clear in the home straight.  Carlo Tallarida put in a huge effort and took home the lion's share of the chocolate.

Officials Courses

rebel Sport

You can help the club whenever you make a purchase at rebel Sport.  Just drop our name at the checkout and the club could receive 2% of your purchase price to buy prizes or equipment for our members.  Note that we don't receive a record of what those purchases are, nor who has done the purchasing: no shaming of shopaholics!

Coming Dates

• 7th May - Sydney 10 (incl. NSW Road Championships), SOPAC
• 21st May - NSW Short Walks, SOPAC
• 3rd June - NSW Cross Country Relays, Rydalmere
• 17th June - NSW Cross Country Championships, Nowra
• 25th June - NSW Team Walks Championships, SOPAC
• 8th July - NSW Short Course Cross Country Championships, West Dapto

Contact Details

Email davidrosswollongong@hotmail.com with athletics news to include in our regular Illawarra Mercury column.  Send other enquiries to athleticswollongong@gmail.com.

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