EVENT PREVIEW | AUSTRALIAN ALL SCHOOLS 2022

The 2022 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Track & Field Championships are officially here with WA’s best high school-aged athletes set to descend on Adelaide for a huge three-day Championship.

WA will be well represented with more than 110 WA High School athletes ready to take on the country’s best at the South Australia Athletics Stadium.

Headlining the WA Team on Day One will be junior powerhouse athletes Olivia Dodds, Skye Bowron and Leah O'Brien.

Olivia Dodds will lead the charge on the track on Day One. Dodds had a breakout season last year and was able to consolidate things at the Australian Track and Field Championships in Sydney. Since then, the UWA runner has continued to perform in the 100m and 200m at Strive. Dodds’ is currently the country’s fifth fastest Under 18 athlete and leads the field in the Under 17 100m.

Up-and-coming sprint star Leah O’Brien will aim to replicate her 100m-200m dominance with wins in the Under 15 Girls after taking out both titles in Sydney at the Australian Championships. O’Brien will fly the WA flag solo in the 200m, before being joined by Jessica Hanney in the 100m on Sunday.

Skye Bowron has had a massive few weeks, including taking out the WA State Under 20 Heptathlon title last Sunday, and is ready to impress in the Under 18 400m and 100m finals on Friday. With the second fastest seed time in the 400m, the West Track Runner is well placed to take out one of WA's first finals progressions. Bowron will be back out on the track on Saturday with the 200m and Long Jump, before aiming to go for gold in the 400m on Sunday.

Also launching their campaign on Day One of the Championships will be 2022 Australian Junior Champions Tristian Wilson and Zara O’Dea. Both Zara and Tristian have won the 2022 Australian Title and 2022 Little Athletics titles in the Javelin, with both athletes in fired up for the Under 14 age group in Adelaide.

While multi-eventer Sophie Williams will get her massive schedule underway with the Under 14 High Jump Championships on Friday. A National Champion for the Under 14 Long Jump and Triple Jump, Williams will be one to watch across the disciplines, with the West Track athlete set to line up in the Under 14 High Jump, Javelin, 100m, Triple Jump, Long Jump and 200m.

Day Two will see WA’s Javelin pedigree once again on display. 2022 Australian Champion Olivia Williams will be joined by fellow medallist Emma Kempson in the Under 16 Javelin final. Both Throwers have impressed over the last few years and will look to add to WA’s medals on Saturday. Jaxon Stewart and Wyatt Hill will also line up in the Javelin finals. Stewart had a strong showing at the 2022 Australian Little Athletics Championships where he claimed bronze in the Under 15 Heptathlon event, and will be keen to add to his 2022 haul in Adelaide.

WAIS Training Agreement Athlete Leila Barker will line up in the Under 18 Girls Pole Vault final and look to extend her recent form. After claiming Gold in Sydney, Barker has backed up the Australian title with Under 18 titles at the Oceania Championships and is well placed to once again top the field in Adelaide. Anais Fitzpatrick will also be one to watch in the Pole Vault competition with the West Australian currently ranked second in the Under 17 competition, set to be held alongside the Under 18 final.

WA’s Middle Distance runners will look to thrill on Day Three with 3000m and 1500m finals set for the track. WA will be looking good for an early medal with Charli-Rose Carlyon the fastest-seeded athlete in the Under 18 Girls 3000m Final. While later in the schedule, recent WA State Record breaker Jamie Deane will aim to keep the good times rolling with a start in the Under 16 1500ms final.

Out on the field, Para Athletes Reese Prior and Niamh MacAlasdair will cap off their Australian All Schools campaign with the Para Long Jump. Both athletes have claimed National medals in the event and will be looking to capitalise in the finals.

The 2022 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Track & Field Championships will be held from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 December at the South Australian Athletics Stadium. To find out more about the Championships, including information about Live Results and Live Stream, head to Athletics Australia’s Championship page.

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For any queries, please contact Athletics West at admin@athleticswest.com.au or 08 6272 0480.

By David Smith, Athletics Australia
Posted: 07/12/2022