The road towards State glory begins for 29 athletes this week, following a weekend of outstanding results at the Northern Country Regional Little Athletics Championships at Coffs Harbour on the weekend.
Athletes from Maitland, East Maitland, Rutherford, Woodberry, Thornton and Kurri Kurri clubs took part in the annual regional event and 29 made it through to the State Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre on March 15 and 16.
Aside from individual qualification, Maitland’s junior boy’s 4x100m relay team also made it through after finishing second and Kurri Kurri’s senior girl’s 4x100m relay also qualified second-fastest from the region.
Maitland club had 28 athletes compete at Coffs Harbour and nine returned home with their sights set on next month’s State event. Under-10s competitor Connor Kirkwood continued his brilliant season and qualified for four events next month, including wins in the 200m and 70m.
Jack O’Connor qualified for three events in the under-15s boys, highlighted by gold in the 800m and Josie Ernst took out the under-13s 400m and 800m to book her spot at State.
Jack Newman qualified in both the under-10s long jump (silver) and 400m (bronze), Thomas Rinkin won gold in the high jump and silver in the 400m to qualify and Brooke Carter was another multiple-event qualifier for the club with top-three placings in the 200m and discus.
Other qualifiers were Blake Tindall (under-10s hurdles), Nicholas Rinkin (under-10s 800m) and Jai McAllister (under-13s javelin).
Rutherford also had 28 athletes compete at regionals and four of the club’s athletes will now begin preparing for the State championships. Middle-distance specialist Lara Pilton led the way with qualification in three events, with a win in the under-15s 1500m, second in the 3000m and third in the 800m.
Adam Duggan qualified with wins in the under-9s discus and shot put, Charlotte Lambert placed second in the under-10s 1500m and third in the 60m and Alex Munro will compete in the under-12s 400m next month after earning bronze on the weekend.
Kurri Kurri sent the second largest contingent to regionals and cheered home eight State qualifiers, including double gold medallists Jarcana Fenton and Charlotte McLeish-Kinch.
Fenton won the 200m and 100m and won silver in the 400m and McLeish-Kinch won the under-15s 200m and 100m.
Under-14s competitor Breannan Ryan-Hill qualified in javelin win a win and joins Lawanna Cashen (under-10s javelin), Tiani Dederer (under-13s 1500m walk), Matthew Rees (under-11s 1100m walk), Benjamin Passfield (under-14s 200m hurdles) and Carly Metcalfe (under-9 70m and 200m) at State next month.
East Maitland had three standout athletes at the weekend’s regional event, with Jeremy Gibson, Peta Oseland and Karli Ireland to compete in Sydney in March. Ireland qualified in the under-14s high jump and triple jump, Jeremy Gibson won the 200m to earn his spot and Oseland will contest the long jump and triple jump.
The club had a total of 23 athletes make the trip to Coffs Harbour for the regional carnival.
East Maitland club member Dylan Bennett ran for Gunnedah on the weekend and came away with three gold medals.
The Ashtonfield sprinter won the 100m, triple jump and long jump to qualify for his third State Little Athletics championships.
Woodberry was “chuffed” with the five athletes it had qualify for State, with several personal bests recorded from the clubs’ athletes on the weekend. Under-9s competitor Stuart Hyde was the first of the club’s athletes to qualify for State when he came second in the high jump, while Nathan Kruszelyk returned a personal best to win the 700m walk in the same age group.
Others to qualify were Jacob Moore (under-10s long jump and 60m hurdles), Nathan Maynard (under-14s discus), Kirra Nean (under-12s 800m and 400m), Bridey Mulder (under-13s shot put) and Josh Parsons (under-15s high jump, long jump and javelin).
Club executive committee member Chris O’Keefe said considering the club only sent 15 athletes it was a good achievement that almost half of them will compete at the State championships.
Thornton Little Athletics Club sent the smallest group of athletes but under-10s competitor Katie Smee made sure the club was not forgotten across the weekend. Smee won the 70m, 200m and 100m and was third in the long jump and will now compete in all four at State next month.
Alex Tupou also qualified in the under-15 boy’s discus and Emily Coppins will contest the 200m at State after finishing third on the weekend.
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