EVENT PREVIEW | NIGHT OF THE GO FOR 2&5

WA Athletics Stadium is set to be treated to a running extravaganza this Saturday at the Night of the Go For 2&5, with the State’s best middle-distance athletes competing to claim the 5000m State Title and a cash prize. Matthew Ramsden and Ky Hehir will headline the Men’s 5000m, whilst Charli-Rose Carlyon will no doubt be leading from the front in the Women’s 5000m’s.

After claiming the Zatopek: 10 3000m Championship by 00.01 seconds, Matthew Ramsden will be looking to push his fellow athletes Ky Hehir, Luke Burrows and Matt Smith to achieve highly in 5000m State Championship race. Having recently ran a World Athletics qualifier in the 1500m, Ky Hehir will be looking to carry over the strong form he maintained throughout 2023. 

The Men’s 5000m Championship is set to be a hotly contested event, with WA State Team representative Luke Burrows and current 3000m State Champion Matt Smith both likely to be vying for top spot in their first Championship event of 2024. Adding to the competition in the event is 2023 Perth Running Festival silver medallist Dean Menzies, who will also be looking to challenge for the State Title. WA Triathlete’s Sam Mileham and Kurt Wesley will also be looking to achieve highly in the State Championship race, as they mark their first track outing of the new year.

The Women’s 5000m Championship will also be an event not to miss, with World Cross Country Championships Australian representative Charli-Rose Carlyon set to take to the track for her first championship race of the year. Carlyon will be challenged by youngster Lyla Stewart, who is returning to the track after ending her year in impressive form, having collected dual bronze medals in the 1500m and 3000m at the Australia All Schools Championships last December. 

The race will also feature fellow experienced runners Joanne Mills, who will return for the first time since competing in the Valencia Marathon, WA State Championship U20 3000m Bronze medallist Sienna Hanikeri and Lauren Hyde-Cooling, who will be looking to keep up the great form she found in 2023. Amy Buckingham will also contest for the State Title, after a solid 2023 saw her claim a silver medal in the 3000m at last years WA State Championships. 

The night will not only offer up exciting Championship events which spectators can watch trackside, but also the opportunity for members of the community to lace up their shoes and register an official time in either the 2000m or 5000m’s. All entrants will be seeded into heats which will allow them to be challenged by athletes of a similar calibre, with members able to register on the night.

For more information on the Night of the Go For 2&5, CLICK HERE. 

Athletics West requires all athletes competing in the Open and Under 20 age divisions in World Ranking Events to submit a Shoe Declaration before competition, per the amendment to Rule 5 made by World Athletics in April 2020. 

Any shoe must have been available for purchase by any athlete on the open retail market (online or in-store) for a period of four months before it can be used in competition. If a shoe is not openly available to all then it will be deemed a prototype and use of it in competition will not be permitted. Subject to compliance with the rules, any shoe that is available to all, but is customised for aesthetic reasons, or for medical reasons to suit the characteristics of a particular athlete’s foot, will be allowed.

You will only need to submit this once, and can submit multiple pairs of shoes for the season. Officials will be provided with a list of competitors and their declared footwear for marshalling. Any amendments to your Shoe Declaration can be made by completing the form again online or in person at the TIC Area no later than 60 minutes prior to the start time of your event. 

Athletes who have not completed the form or those wearing non complaint shoes will not be permitted to complete.

To see the current list of shoes deemed approved by World Athletics, CLICK HERE.

For more information and to complete the Shoe Declaration, CLICK HERE.

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 Dylan Gane, Athletics West
Posted on 18 January 2024