Last weekend we witnessed the best performance by Athletics Wollongong at an Open Australian Championship in decades.  Our Junior members took that as a challenge!

The most stunning performer of the entire event was undoubtedly AW's Delta Amidzovski.  In the lead-up to the Championships, she was highlighted by Athletics Australia as one of only two athletes who had the opportunity to win an event all the way from the U14s category when they started, until they 'aged out' in the U18s.  ...and she had the chance to do it in *two* events!

The first of these was the long jump, which Delta won with 6.21m - another qualifying distance for the Youth Commonwealth Games.

With the chance to match the feat in the sprint hurdles, Delta did even better: smashing the U18 Australian record, held by Sally Pearson née McLellan - who of course went on to World and Olympic Champion status.  According to World Athletics, Delta is now the 7th fastest U18 100m Hurdler of all-time.  

Obviously this was another Youth Commonwealth Games qualifier and with Delta also finishing 5th in the flat 100m to show her suitability for a relay berth, it's with some confidence that her name will be among those read out at the upcoming team announcement.  There are only 17 spots available so showing herself as a triple threat puts her in the best possible position.

Also hoping to be part of the Australian team is Chelsy Wayne, with another Youth Commonwealth qualifier and backing up her bronze in the Open Discus with a gold in the U18s.  Her throw of 51.02m this weekend was two metres further than what she achieved the week prior.

Sprinter Michael Melfi couldn't do any more in both his personal debut at the Australian Championships - and that of the U13 category as a whole.  He took out both the inaugural 100m (12.51s) and 200m (25.99s) events and ran up in the U14 4x100m to bring home a third gold medal.

Maiya Hewitt had great success in the sand winning silver in both the U15 Long (5.44m) and Triple Jump (11.46m) events.

Harry Keats was also a dual medal winner, bringing home a silver in the U14 800m (2'00.72s) and a bronze in the 400m (56.79s).

There were another four athletes who earned themselves a bronze:

• Naomi Gibson purged the demons of a no-height in the U20 Pole Vault, to clear 3.25m in the U18s
• Charlize Colwell had a huge PB in the U17 Para 400m with 1'13.06s (82.52%)
• Tayissa Buchanan once again showed she can mix it with the best, with a 2'08.83s performance in the U18 800m
• ...and our busiest athlete Ben Pittman - who holds primary membership with Illawong - won bronze in the U18 Discus (48.79m), after contesting the decathlon and shot put!

Well done to all athletes, coaches and their supporters.  Twenty-one Athletics Wollongong members participated in the Australian Junior Championships.  You can see all of their results HERE.