AUS LITTLE ATHLETICS CHAMPS PREVIEW | WA RETURN TO ADELAIDE FOR GOLD

The next generation of WA stars are primed to take on the best Little Athletes from around the country as the 2024 Coles Australian Little Athletics Championships begin.

The WA team will be captained by Athletics Australia record holder Sophie Williams (Ridgewood) and Australian Under 16 Champion Tristian Wilson (Belmont). The duo will lead a 53-athlete-strong team of WA’s best Little Athletes as they endeavour to improve on last year’s fifth-team placing.

The two-day Championships will get underway at the SA Athletics Stadium on Saturday morning, with Little Athletes from around Australia battling it out for a spot on the podium.

Fresh off delivering a slew of impressive performances at the Australian Athletics Championships, Sophie Williams will look to replicate her golden multi-event efforts that saw her break the 33-year-old Australian Under 16 Heptathlon record. Flying the flag for the state in the Under 15 Combined Events competition Williams' prowess in Javelin and Long Jump will come into play as she battles the best in the country.

Wilson returns to the Coles Australian Little Athletics Championships ready to collect more medals. The Belmont Athlete will line up in the Under 15 Combined Events and look to make an impact with the throws component, especially the Javelin after claiming the Under 16 national title just over a week ago.

Kate Philpott (Hamersley) will look to further her medal haul when she goes for gold in the Under 15 100m, 200m, 90m Hurdles and Long Jump. Philpott delivered a notable collection of performances at the Athletics Australian Championships with flashing finishes in the 100m and 200m finals to secure silver.

One of the state’s newly crowned Australian Champions will look to continue his dominance in the throws competition, with Liam Vergano-van Niekirk (Joondalup) set to line up in Discus and Javelin. Vergano-van Niekirk won gold in the Under 14 Javelin final and will look to collect both Little Athletics and Athletics Australia underage title in the same season.

Other notable athletes to keep an eye on include Thomas Davey (Belmont) in the Under 14 800m and 1500m, Heinrich Stander (Cockburn) in the 200m Hurdles and High Jump, as well as Chelsea Natta (Southern Districts) in the 200m Hurdles, Long Jump and Javelin.

To see the complete list of WA Little Athletes bound for the 2024 Coles Australian Little Athletics Championships, click here.

The 2024 Coles Australian Little Athletics Championships will be held on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 April at the South Australia Athletics Stadium in Adelaide.

You can follow all the athletics action for the 2024 Coles Australian Little Athletics Championships via the KommunityTV Live Stream, or Athletics West’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

For more information about how you can get started in athletics, contact Athletics West on 08 6272 0480 or email admin@athleticswest.com.au.

By David Smith, Athletics West

Posted 24 April 2024