DAY ONE RECAP| 2023 AUSTRALIAN ALL SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Published Fri 08 Dec 2023
WA’s formidable 4x100m relay teams have closed out a dominant first day for the state at the 2023 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Championships. Leading the medal tally for WA were the state’s latest Australian Champions including Olivia Dodds, Josiah John, Kassia Brown, Lauren Kelly and Luca Prokscha.
Josiah John and Olivia Dodds delivered sensational 100m wins in the Under 17 and Under 18 finals respectively. Dodds looked relaxed in the early afternoon’s heats before returning to break away from the field come finals. Utilising a strong tailwind, Dodds looked fast over the final 40m to clock 11.49 (2.3) and claim her first national title of the All Schools Championships.
While fellow UWA sprinter Josiah John floated down a bustling WA Athletics Stadium home straight to stop the clock at 10.42 (2.6). John backed up his dominant 10.43 from earlier in the season and was joined on the podium by fellow West Australian Kai Gale who clocked 10.60 for bronze.
Dodds, John and Gale all returned for the Under 18 4x100m relays. Dodds was joined by Evelyn John Jimmy, Grace Ainsworth and Amelia Rowe to win the final in 46.42. While John and Gale had Pathawi Edwards and Jordan Hamilton bolster the Under 18 Men’s team which flashed home to secure the final track event of the day in 42.41.
Kassia Brown collected the All Schools title with a seamless performance in the Under 16 Girls Pole Vault. Brown had to wait almost an hour to enter the competition, but once she did the WA import delivered a masterclass to breeze through the field and claim the title with a best jump of 3.45m.
Lauren Kelly once again donned the top of the podium and got things underway with an impressive win in the Under 16 Discus. Throwing 45.60m, Kelly clinched the win by 15cm with her third round throw.
Luca Prokscha launched WA’s day with gold in the Under 14 Shot Put when he broke his own State Record to further the mark to 17.46m. Joining Prokscha on the podium was Logan Baker who secured bronze with a best throw of 15.40m. Alyssa Hart continued WA’s success in the shot put with bronze in the Under 14 Girls competition and a throw of 11.90m.
WA’s Under 14 Girls 4x100m relay team continued WA’s gold rush with Zoe Daby, Emilia Reed, Lucy O'Donnell and Molly Brayshaw blitzing the field to win in 48.84. The Under 14 Boys also added to the medal tally with Brooklyn Bennet, Noah Janes, Cambell Weir and Imoh Etim collecting silver in 48.51.
Out on the track Thomas Doolan was unlucky not to edge out the opposition in the Under 18 Boys 400m. Doolan’s dip on the line was only 0.007 off claiming the top spot, with the West Australian having to settle for silver in 48.30. While Jamie Deane flashed home in a lightning fast Under 17 1500m race to secure silver in 4:05.08.
WA’s short track success was rounded with outstanding performances by Kate Philpott and Jessica Hanney in the Under 15 and 16 200m respectively. Both athletes won silver with Philpott crossing the line in 24.64 (4.6) and Hanney running 24.65 (2.3). While Isabella Cormack-Gibbons returned to the All Schools podium with a bronze in the Under 15 Para 100m.
Emily Prior and Michael McDonald opened their weekends with medals in the Para Shot Put competition. Prior produced a best throw of 2.77m (34.95%) in the U17 competition to collect bronze, with McDonald also collecting bronze with a throw of 6.31m (46.77%) in the Under 20.
Despite windy conditions throughout the day, WA’s morning session delivered a slew of medals across disciplines with Dylan Roelofs securing bronze in the Under 16 Boys Hammer and Anna Colgan delivering a solid performance to collect bronze in the Under 16 800m final. Sophie Williams opened her Australian All Schools Championships with a silver in the Under 15 Long Jump by jumping 5.70m.
Aston Archer launched WA’s afternoon session with a huge leap of 14.50m in the Under 17 Triple Jump to claim silver, while Rocco Parlongo opened his campaign with a bronze in the Under 14 Javelin.
DAY TWO PREVIEW
WA will be back in action on Day Two when National Junior Championships Declan Somers and Tony Thomas look to impress in the steeplechase. Before Jamie Deane, Jonah Hanikeri and Danielle Graham line up in the Under 17 800m finals.
Lauren Kelly returns for her pedigree event in the U16 Shot Put, before backing it up with Gemma Buckle in the Under 16 Javelin later in the day. While Zara O’Dea will look to break in to the medals in the Under 15 Javelin competition.
The 200m finals for the Under 17 and 18 will be amongst the headline events following the blistering 100m finals from Day One. Amelia Rowe will look to pip WA’s State Record holder Olivia Dodds in the Under 18 200m, while Josiah John and Jordan Hamilton will battle it out in the Under 17 200m.
Isabella Cormack Gibbons will look to better her 200m silver from 2022 All Schools and replicate her Brisbane brilliance come Saturday.
Day Two of the Championships will get underway from 9:00 am and will see more than 1,200 athletes from all States and Territories line up for national glory as the athletics season heats up around the country.
The 2023 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Championships, supported by Tourism WA and the WA Government, are set for the WA Athletics Stadium from 8 to 10 December 2023. The three-day event will see Australia’s best school-aged athletes compete in team-based competition.
For more information and to follow all the upcoming athletics action head to Athletics West’s Facebook, Instagram & TikTok pages.
For any queries, please contact Athletics West at admin@athleticswest.com.au or 08 6272 0480.
By David Smith (Athletics West)
Posted 8 December 2023
