2021 AUSTRALIAN T&F CHAMPIONSHIP | DAY FIVE RECAP

Day Five of the 2021 Australian Track and Field Championships was packed with preliminary rounds for the Open Men and Women. However, it did not stop WA’s best from claiming a handful of medals throughout the day.

Declan Tingay capped of Day Five with a blistering silver in the Open Men’s 10000m Race Walk. Dealing with cold conditions, Tingay broke away early in the race with two other walkers, setting a quick tempo over the first 4000m.

“It was a hard race. I was looking for a low 39 [minutes], if not just under 39. [It was] quite a hot first 4km and found it harder than expected, kind of faded a bit. But super happy with the race, the time was important, but tonight it was all about the place and [moving] up in the international rankings.” Tingay said.

Tingay crossed the line in 39:40.24 and claimed the all-important silver medal. Having moved east at the end of 2020, Tingay’s enjoyed a new training environment which seems to have instilled a new level of confidence in the West Aussie.

“The last five months I’ve been relocating to Melbourne and been focusing on getting fitter. Everything is about Tokyo at the moment, [so] I’ve been training really well with the Melbourne crew and you’ve got to be where the competition is. But feeling good and ready to take on what’s next.”

Matthew Ramsden was the only WA runner to progress through to the Open Men’s 1500m. Ramsden cruised across the line in the heats and look well placed to challenge for the Australian title on Sunday. In the Open 800m, Peter Bol stormed into Saturday’s final as the fastest qualifier.

Alex Perin opened WA’s Day Five medal campaign with an epic win in the Under 18 Men’s High Jump. Perin was on fire and look good with easy clearances over his first three jumps. Pushed on by the NSW athlete, Perin was unfazed and claimed a 4cm personal best with the best jump of 2.09m to win the 2021 Australian title.

The afternoon session was kicked started by a silver in the Open Women’s Ambulant 1500m with Madison Heady crossing the line in 7:23.26 for a new personal best. While out in the field, Robert Marchesi-Scott let loose in the Under 17 Discus with a best of throw of 52.43m to claim silver.

Day Six Preview

Super Saturday will see WA’s top Open athletes light up Sydney Olympic Park with Nina Kennedy, Peter Bol and Madison de Rosario all going for Gold on Day Six of the 2021 Australian Track and Field Championships.

The Open Women’s Pole Vault will see Nina Kennedy, Elizaveta Parnova and Lauren Hyde-Cooling compete for the Australian title. Kennedy will look to continue her stellar season and will be knocking on the door of her own Australian Record and contest the Coles Australian Record Challenge. However, there is no discounting a resurging Parnova, who will look to make her mark and claim another national title.

Peter Bol cleaned up in the Coles Summer Super Series and has looked comfortable in this week’s 800m preliminary rounds. Bol’s been agonisingly close to the Olympic qualifying time of 1:45.20 and will be laser-focused on collecting the gold and qualifier in the 800m final.

Madison de Rosario will lead the WA para-athletes’ when she lines up in the Open Women 800m Wheelchair event. While fellow selected Tokyo 2021 athlete Rhiannon Clarke will look for a solid hit out in the Women’s Ambulant Open 100m race alongside WA’s Ella Pardy.

Under 20 Australian 100m, Champion Taylah Cruttenden will fly the flag for WA in the Open 100m finals. Cruttenden eased off the gas in the first round of the Women’s Open competition but will look to unleash down the straight to progress through to Saturday night’s final.

Jackson Hamilton returns in the Open Men’s ambulant Javelin and will look to unleash in the Under 20 Discus throw.

To keep up with all of the action from the 2021 Australian Track and Field Championships, be sure to check Team WA’s Daily Recap available via the Athletics West website, Facebook and Instagram pages.

For more information about the Championships head to Athletics Australia’s event page or check out the Championship’s LIVE RESULTS HERE.