2021 AUSTRALIAN T&F CHAMPIONSHIP | DAY ONE PREVIEW

185 of the state’s best athletes are bound for Sydney and the 2021 Australian Track and Field Championships.

After a disrupted 12 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Western Australia’s top junior and senior athletes will once again have the opportunity to come together and unleash their best at Sydney Olympic Park.

The eight-day Championship will kick off on Monday with the underage competition before the Open athletes join the action on Thursday.

Team WA will be headlined by Australian Pole Vault Record Holder Nina Kennedy, recent 5000m Australian Champion Matthew Ramsden, 800m superstar Peter Bol and World Champion Madison de Rosario. In the Underage competition, it will be the likes of Taylah Cruttenden and Jackson Hamilton who are set to light up Sydney.

As well as the national title, the country’s top athletes will have their final chance to set an all-important Olympic, Paralympic and World Under 20 qualifying performance to confirm their selection in the 2021 Australian Teams.

Day One - Preview

Taylah Cruttenden will look to extend her sensational season and cement her standing as one of the country’s top sprinters when she opens her campaign with the Under 20 100m. Having set seven 100m qualifying times for the World Under 20 Championships this season, Cruttenden will look to claim the national title before turning her focus to the 200m on Wednesday and the Open competition thereafter.

2021 WA Champion Cooper Jenkins will look to trade in his state title for a national one in the Under 20 100m, where he will run alongside fellow West Australian Esteban Cerda. While up and comer Leah O’Brien will be one to watch after her dominating times swept the Coles Little Athletics Australia National Challenge earlier this month. She will be joined by Jessica Hanney in the Under 14 100m.

Monday will also see the Under 14, 15 and 16 1500m titles get awarded. WA’s ever-growing middle-distance talent will be on full display as they seek the state’s first few National medals.

Out in the field, Ella Harbison, Annabella Thompson and Lauren Kelly will open the state’s throws campaign in the Under 14 Shot Put. While Tyson Phillips and Jesse West will get things started in the jumps with the men’s Under 16 High Jump competition.

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.