DAY THREE RECAP | 2022 AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

The sun was out on Day Three of the 2022 Chemist Warehouse Australian Track and Field Championships as Annie Pfeiffer, Tristian Wilson, Zara O'Dea and Sophie Williams collected medals for Western Australia.

Annie Pfeiffer opened proceedings with an incredible run in the Women’s Under 20 400m Final. Returning from 18 months of injury, Pfeiffer looked solid over the first 300m before building through the last 100m with a diving finish to cross the line fourth. Pfeiffer was then elevated to bronze as the third best Australian following the inclusion of the New Zealand Athlete. Only returning to the track earlier in the year, the UWA athlete looked strong as she collected the bronze medal in a World Under 20 qualifying time of 54.70.

Sophie Williams returned to the top of the medal dais with a thrilling win in the Under 14 Women’s Long Jump, winning the Australian title by 1cm. Sitting in second for the first three rounds, Williams fell back to third in the final round before pulling out a mammoth leap of 5.21cm to clinch the Gold. Williams now has three 2022 Australian National Gold medals to her name on debut for WA.  

Out in the field, Tristian Wilson made the most of his first Australian Championships with some massive throws in the Men’s Under 14 Javelin Final. Securing the win on his first throw with a huge mark of 48.74m, Wilson bettered his efforts with a final throw of 49.39m to claim the gold. Zara O’Dea followed up with another Javelin gold for Western Australia in the Under 14 Women’s Final. Leading from start to finish, O’Dea threw 38.59m to secure WA’s third gold of the day.  

Day Four Preview

Alex De Silva will open proceedings on Day Four of the Chemist Warehouse Australian Track and Field Championships with the Men’s Under 20 Hammer Throw.

Ashleigh Spencer has progressed to the Final of the Women’s Under 20 400m Hurdles in style by winning her heat in a World Under 20 qualifying time of 60.94. Spencer now has two qualifiers to her name and will be looking to get the auto-team selection by winning the title tomorrow afternoon.

Annie Pfeiffer returns to the track in the Women’s 200 Under 20 Final alongside Tyson Gent who will line up in the Men’s Under 20 Final. Leah O’Brien will look to do the 100m-200m double in the Under 15 Women’s Final, while Sophie Williams and Harry Gordon have made it through to the Under 14 200m Final.

Following WA’s Under 16 Boys masterclass in the First Round of the 800m, Jonah Hanikeri, Jamie Dean and Benjamin Patterson will all be going for gold in the Final. While 2022 Australian bronze medallist Ben O’Sullivan will be joined by brother Sam O’Sullivan the Under 14 800m Final after both boys progressed.

Tristian Wilson and Zara O’Dea will also be the ones to watch out in the field in the Under 14 Discus as they look to replicate their Javelin success. 

To keep up with all of the action from the 2022 Chemist Warehouse Australian Track & 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.

By David Smith, Athletics West
Posted: 28/3/2022