Sponsors
It’s time to put your name forward to assist at Splash Wollongong on March 6th, where AW provides athlete check-in and course marshalling services. The event organiser, Rob Battocchio, is a former club member and – in appreciation – makes a donation to the club for our help. This is the final fundraiser for our club this season: a year in which other money-making opportunities like the Mango Tray Drive and Australia Day Aquathon were cancelled. Consequently, we’re super keen to meet our volunteer pledge for this event.
We need to supply 15-20 helpers, the bulk of these out on the course for an hour or two, encouraging participants and ensuring they don’t take a wrong turn. If you’d prefer to be inside, then athlete check-in could be for you: we get competitors sorted with their timing chips and swim caps with good vibes and humour.
We’ve already got around half the volunteers we require and to sweeten the pot, assisting will give you eligibility for financial assistance from AW if you make it to Nationals. Note that there are a couple of event clashes on this date (Little A’s Combined Event Champs and the Open State Champs) so don’t just presume that others will be stepping forward: we need YOU!
Send an email to athleticswollongong@gmail.com or speak to us on a club night to volunteer.
Wednesday Meets drawing to a close
There are only four more weeks of Athletics Wollongong left for Season 2020/21! It’s the last chance for you to set Season Bests before our pointscore competition ends.
We still have some special events coming up and the first of these is on this Wednesday: the steeplechase. We only hold steeplechase nights twice per year and run it over a variety of barrier heights/distances so participants can either break records or just have a bit of fun – everyone can give it a go. We recommend bringing along a change of clothes/shoes as you’re going to get wet!
Our meets will culminate on March 10th with our End of Season Special, including a Chocolate Run (handicapped 800m race) and a 60m Skins Champion of Champions event, sponsored by Anthony Howlett, with a $100 prizepool. Stay tuned for more details in our Facebook group and on the club website as the date approaches.
Finally, while all club members who have participated on a Wednesday night will receive a Season Best certificate, note that there is a 50% attendance requirement to receive a pointscore award. If your attendance has been a little patchy in 2021, make sure you participate the next few weeks so that you’re eligible.
Speaking of fun events at club competition, the 200m Zoom has been run and won for 2021. Our Champions Mitchell O’Neill and Tierney Dunne both defended their titles from last year and broke their respective age group records! They also took home $50 each, as did our two lucky lane draw winners: Suzy Moran and Michael Doodson.
Thanks go to event sponsor: Peter Gandy’s Process Integrations. Peter was our club’s first-ever athlete selected in an Olympic team and Commonwealth Games representative. He’s still on the Australian All-Time Rankings List in both the 100m and 200m and is proud to support the Zoom, inspiring the next generation of local sprinters to follow in his footsteps.
The grandstand refurbishment is underway, with the area inaccessible for the next couple of months. The club is very thankful to those who helped move our gear from that area and into our temporary home: a storage container alongside the home straight. We’ll need a hand to move it back again once they’re done!
Given the lack of cover, we may be forced to be a little less adventurous in the event of poor weather. Fingers crossed that it won’t be relevant, but any cancellations will be announced in the club Facebook group.
Portable toilets are available to track users at the rear of the Leisure Centre. A portable PA using the existing speakers is apparently on the way soon but, in the meantime, we have a small PA of our own. It’s not terrifically loud, so we ask that people remain close by during the before-comp announcements.
A lot can change between newsletters! First Country was all set to go as per schedule, then it was postponed ‘til next Season and replaced with an Interclub Meet, finally – following an uproar from athletes – it was back on in February. The new dates are Friday, 26th Feb to Sunday, 28th Feb but, even more important, is the closing date for entries: 10am, this Wednesday, 17th Feb.
There are actually three different entry portals on ANSW’s Event Info page (https://www.nswathletics.org.au/events/83031/):
The original date for Mingara’s Country Championships was replaced with an Interclub meeting. Over 400 people took part, including Athletics Wollongong’s Rosie Tozer in the High Jump, clearing a height of 1.82m. Rosie spent much of last season chasing a 1.82m qualifying height for the World Athletics U20 Championships. To be held in Kenya, the event was eventually postponed on account of COVID but is now set for August of this year.
The revised Australian team selection policy was recently released and the qualifying height remained unchanged. Guaranteeing her spot in the team though will require victory in the upcoming U20 National Championships. We wish Rosie all the best!
The venue for the 2021 National Championships was recently announced: the winner is Sydney! Athletics Australia then took the unusual step of announcing that they are really, really, definitely actually going to happen. There’s little other information available currently, asides from the dates of competition (April 12th – 21st) and the qualifying standards (https://www.athletics.com.au/entrystandards/). Keep an eye on the Athletics Australia website or social media channels for more info as it is released.
Note that selection in the NSW team to contest the National Championships has required athletes to participate at either the State Open or Junior Championships in the past; make sure you don’t miss the closing dates for these events.
Two Athletics Wollongong members caused changes to the Australian record books this past weekend.
Congratulations!
Karlee set her record at this past weekend’s Athletics ACT Open & U20 Championships, an increasingly popular event on the calendar with AW having 15 representatives. The U14 – U18 edition will be held later this month, with entries closing 4pm, 22nd Feb (https://www.athleticsintheact.com.au/events/84134/).
Para events are particularly strongly contested, giving even more kudos to our medallists there. Kirra Lockett took out the Para Discus (24.08m/62.89%) with clubmate Rosie Boyland making it a quinella. The pair reversed the order in the Shot Put with Rosie taking the win (8.95m/63.48%). Charlize Colwell also came 2nd in the 400m, running a time of 1’19.67s/75.67%.
Tierney Dunne ran a new PB of 11.92s on her way to victory in the U20 100m and then backed it up the day after with a silver in the 200m (24.90s). We had three more U20 silver medallists, Tayissa Buchanan in the 800m (2’11.82), Rosie Tozer in the High Jump (1.70m), and 13yo Chelsy Wayne in the discus (39.14m). Jaidah Jarvis also picked up a bronze in that event, with a throw of 36.52m.
Our only medallist in the Open events was Delta Amidzovski in the Long Jump. She leapt an incredible 6.25m! At 14, she was five years younger than any other competitor in the field and finished second to Australian record holder and Olympian Brooke Stratton: by less than 50cm!
Also held last weekend, were the NSW Masters Championships at Campbelltown. AW had great representation, with 16 of our members doing battle.
Christine Shaw was our most outstanding performer, winning seven of her eleven entered events in the 60-64 category, including equalling the State Age Record in High Jump. Rebekah Power was close behind, with a clean sweep in her five 40-44 events.
Other State Champions were: Adrian See, Anthony Howlett, Caroline Ellis, Dave Ross, Montse Ros, Natalie Heywood, Nicole McHenry, Ros Perry and Will Tyler. Check the club website for full results.
Christine Shaw did it again at the NSW Combined Event Championships: in winning the 60+ Outdoor Pentathlon, her tally was a new State Record, as was her Long Jump performance of 3.98m.
Also winning gold was Thomas Noakes, having a tremendous second day and running down the overnight leader in the U20 Men’s Decathlon.
Anthony Howlett was awarded second place in the 50+ Outdoor Pentathlon. Let’s get more people in this event next season!
There was a great turnout at the Illawarra Track Challenge, which incorporated the State 60m and Mile Championships.
Tayissa Buchanan won the U16 category of the Mile Championships, running 5’22.99s. AW had higher representation in the sprint events, with Sam Zustovich taking out the U20 60m State Championship (6.87s) and Karlee Symonds the Para event (9.19s). Rounding out our medallists was Delta Amidzovski with a second placing in the U16s (7.69s).
The Open winner, Rohan Browning – of Sydney Uni club – also ran the 100m in a time of 9.96s. He’s only the second-ever Australian to run under 10s electronically – and the first to do it on Australian soil - though he did have an illegal tailwind. Our Beaton Park track is fast!
Email davidrosswollongong@hotmail.com with athletics news to include in our regular Advertiser & Lake Times column. Send other enquiries to athleticswollongong@gmail.com.
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