WRAP UP | 2022 AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

It was a successful campaign for WA's top athletes at the 2022 Chemist Warehouse Australian Track and Field Championships in Sydney. Over nine days of Championship events, WA collected 80 medals, 27 National titles, three auto-selected Australian athletes bound for the 2022 World Athletics Championships and countless memories.

Day One saw the Juniors take to the track and field to collect their first medals of the 2022 Championships. Taylah Cruttenden once again headlined the track and cruised into her sixth consecutive Junior National final ready to defend her Under 20 title. WA’s first National medal came from Jonah Hanikeir in the Men’s Under 16 1500m with a gutsy run in the Final. While out in the field, Ellie Parsons did well in the Women’s Under 20 Pole Vault competition, Harry Gordon rounded out WA’s medal haul on with a bronze in the Men’s Under 14 3000m Race Walk and Lauren Kelly won silver in the Women’s Under 15 Shot Put.

WA's first National titles were won on Day Two of the Championships. Leah O'Brien won gold in the Under 15 100m, defending her 2021 title. Sophie Williams backed up her busy Day One schedule with a sensational Under 14 Triple Jump to collect WA’s first National title of 2022. Williams returned later in the day for the Women’s Under 14 4x100m Relay alongside Kate Philpott, Palace Koia and Tolu Timeyin to storm home to claim gold. Out in the field, Australia’s best Under 20 Discus throwers unleashed in wet and windy conditions, with Etienne Rousseau throwing 54.43m to collect silver. John Ronan secured silver in the Men's Under 16 3000m Walk, while Palace Koia and Ben O'Sullivan collected bronzes in the Under 14 Women's 80m Hurdles and Under 14 Men's 1500m respectively. 

Annie Pfeiffer opened Day Three proceedings with an incredible run in the Women’s Under 20 400m Final to win a 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. Out in the field, Tristian Wilson and Zara O'Dea both won gold in the Under 14 Javelin. 

WA's Javelin talent was on full display on Day Four, with seven throwers winning a medal. Starting with a complete sweep of medals in the Women’s Under 15 Javelin throw competition, Gemma Buckle claimed gold, Ella Harbison secured silver and Lauren Kelly added bronze to her collection. Gold continued to be the medal of choice for WA with Olivia Williams and Brayden Phillips claiming Australian titles in the Under 16 and Under 15 Javelin competitions, while Emma Kempson and Teoman Demir won bronze and silver respectively. Leah O'Brien pulled off the 100m-200m double with a masterclass performance in the Women’s Under 15 200m crossing the line in 24.66 (0.3). 400m Hurdler Ashley Spencer crossed the line in a World Under 20 qualifying time of 60.36 to claim the silver medal. While James Kiely pulled together an impressive finals performance to secure the bronze in the Men’s Under 20 competition with a time of 55.25. In the under 16 800m finals, Isabella Bidesi won bronze, while Jonah Hanikeri and Benjamin Patterson collected silver and bronze respectively. The Under 14 Women continued to impress with Sophie Williams and Palace Koia medaling once again.

Open athletes joined the fold on Day Five. Paralympian Sarah Edmiston headlined with silver in the Open Women’s Discus Ambulant final, which was matched by Jackson Hamilton in the Men’s Discus Ambulant final. Junior athletes Olivia Dodds, Robert Marchesi Scott and Leila Barker all won gold, while Anais Fitzpatrick added to WA’s medal tally with a silver in the Under 17 Women’s Pole Vault. 

WA's women dominated Day Six with Alexandra Griffin and Madison de Rozario claiming National titles. Niamh Mac Alasdair collected WA’s first medal of the day with a silver in the Under 20 Women’s Para Long Jump, a silver in the 100m and gold in the 400m. Cory Crombie also added to the medal tally with a bronze in the Men's Open 1500m Wheelchair event. While Ky Hehir, Robert Marchesi Scott and Olivia Dodds both collected bronze. 

Nina Kennedy, Liz Parnova and Matthew Ramsden headlined a massive Day Seven. Kennedy retained her National Women's Pole Vault title while Parnova and Ramsden both secured silver. Jack Whiteside kickstarted WA’s Pole Vault run of medals with a win in the Under 18 Men’s Pole Vault. Rhiannon Clarke and Ella Pardy returned to Sydney Olympic Park and once again stepped up onto the podium in the Women’s 100m Ambulant Final. Declan Somers, Tom Millard, Jessica Bell and Emma Gabbitus also collected medals. 

The final Day for the individual Open Events, saw WA's men dominate the medal dais. Peter Bol, Matthew Ramsden and Kurtis Marschall all claimed Open Men's National titles. Olivia Dodds collected the 100m-200m double in Under 17's, while Rhiannon Clarke, Ella Pardy and Jack Whiteside all returned to the podium. Cruz Hogan capped off a stellar Javelin performance with silver in the Open Men's Final, while the juniors added to WA's tally. 

Day Nine saw WA's relay teams hit the track to round out the Championships. WA’s Open 4x400m Women put on a masterclass in the penultimate event of the 2022 Championships. Annie Pfeiffer, Kiara Speechley, Brittany Scott and Emma Philippe left Sydney with the National title and gold medal. While the combination of Kaitlin Lim, Evelyn John Jimmi, Skye Bowron and Olivia Dodds proved to be a record-breaking team. Running in the Women’s Under 18 4x100m, the four West Australian women flashed home in 46.54 to set a new Western Australia Under 18 record and secure the silver medal.

To find out more about WA's efforts at the 2022 Chemist Warehouse Australian Track and Field Championships, head to Athletics West's news section. 

A massive congratulations to our WA athletes, officials, coaches and parents who took part in the 2022 Chemist Warehouse Australian Track & Field Championships, you can find complete results via Athletics Australia’s event page or check out the Championship’s RESULTS HERE.

By David Smith, Athletics West
Photo Credit: David Tarbotton
Posted: 6/4/2022