Athletics Australia – News – #ALLSCHOOLS12: Denny & Patterson on fire in Hobart

Teenage throwing sensation Mathew Denny (Qld) has stolen the show at the Australian All Schools Championships today, with the 16-year-old throwing World Youth Championship qualifiers to win both the boy’s under 18 hammer throw and discus throw.

Opening his Hobart (Tas) campaign in the boy’s hammer throw shortly prior to noon, Denny hit 74.64m to eclipse the previous meet record of Tim Driesen (Vic) and win the All Schools crown from Costa Kousparis (NSW, second, 66.52m) and Ned Weatherly (Vic, third, 60.47m). Battling through very blustery conditions, the 16-year-old opened with his record setting throw before two fouls and a 64.74m effort to close his four-attempt series.

Denny, who last weekend improved the Australian under 18 hammer throw record to 75.82m, returned to the thrower’s circle three hours later for the boy’s under 18 discus throw. Opening his campaign with 63.02m, he then heaved 63.84m and 59.31m before his qualifying performance of 64.54m in round four to win the All Schools crown.

The Target Talent Program athlete Denny said: “The All Schools crown and another qualifier is fantastic, but the conditions meant that I unfortunately couldn’t throw as big as I did last week and that’s a bit disappointing.

“I’m really happy to continue throwing out past 70 metres though. I’ve got a couple of qualifiers in the hammer throw now and I’m hoping to combine it with the discus in Donetsk next year. There’s a long way to go to Australian Juniors next year when the Selection Trial is but if my ankle continues to get strong after a bit of an injury I am confident I can perform well and be selected for both.”

Equally impressive in the field was Eleanor Patterson (Vic), who with a 1.87m leap took home gold and set a second qualifier for the World Youth Championships in the high jump. Her performance was a mere three centimetres shy of the Australian under 18 record of 1.90m shared by Gai Kapernick (NSW) and Petrina Price (NSW).

Patterson was the last to enter the competition at 1.75m, which she cleared comfortably on her first attempt. Immediate success at 1.80m followed, before second jump progression at 1.85m and 1.87m. Unable to clear 1.90m, Patterson won the event by an impressive 12 centimetres from Cara Moody (Vic, equal second, 1.75m) and Nicola McDermott (NSW, equal second, 1.75m).

Delivering World Youth Championship qualifiers on track were James Kermond (NSW, 400m), Molly Blakey (NSW, 400m) and Daniela Roman (Vic, 100mH).

Joined on the podium by James Kaluschke (Qld, second, 45.82) and Australian Spark Jay Meaney (NSW, third, 49.16), Kermond burst out of the blocks and was strong on the back straight before bringing it home to win the boy’s under 18 400m gold in 48.00.

Kermond said: “That was good, I’ve had a lot of up and downs over the last year and I am lucky that is has all clicked here in Hobart. The hard work for this has paid off and I can focus on some post-Christmas running to get ready for Australian Juniors in Perth.

“I’m looking forward to week-to-week competition in Sydney in the New Year, and hopefully I might get a chance to run at a couple of National Series meets if my times allow for it. Any chance I have to run well helps me work toward a selection for World Youths and that would be a dream come true.

“I have to thank my coach for this performance, and AA as well because I was in the Under 17 Squad this year and working with the coaches and staff there was a great experience for me, it certainly helped.”

In the girl’s event, Blakey set her first qualifier for Donetsk (UKR) to take home the All Schools crown from Jessica Thornton (NSW, second, 55.65) and Claudia Nicklason (Tas, third, 56.75).

Roman, meanwhile, clocked 13.70 (w: -1.2) to place second overall in the girl’s under 18 100m hurdles behind Hannah Jones (NSW, first, 13.48). The time is her second below the World Youth Championships qualifier of 13.75.

In other highlights:

–       Nathan Brill (Vic) was exceptional in the boy’s under 18 5000m race walk. Crossing the line in 21:05.75, the 16-year-old eclipsed the meet record of Dane Bird–Smith (Qld).
–       Victoria won the girl's under 18 4x100m relay in a time of 47.04, while New South Wales won the boy's event in a time of 42.23.
–       Jack Hicking (NSW) won the boy’s under 18 pole vault with a solid 4.60m in very tough conditions, while Ryka Dunemann (Qld) improved the boy’s under 14 pole vault meet record to 3.30m.
–       Alec Nguyen (NSW) delivered two silver medals for the NSW Blaze in the boy’s under 14 90 metre hurdles and long jump.
–       Mikayla Genge (Tas) won the girl’s under 18 hammer throw with a 61.19m best mark, while in other Tasmanian highlights Biniyam Hagos won silver in the boy’s under 16 1500m and Jacob Birtwhistle bronze in the boy’s under 18 1500m.

Day two of track and field action at the Domain Athletics Centre followed a brief opening session on Friday evening that saw Alexandra Hulley (NSW), who is coached by Olympian Karyne Di Marco, improve the national under 16 hammer throw record to win the All Schools title.

Hurling the 3kg ball 60.62m, Hulley’s performance improved her personal best by more than three metres and ensures she has yet another qualifier for the World Youth Championships with the Selection Trial to follow at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Perth (WA) next March.

The highlight on track came from James Kermond (NSW) in the boy’s under 18 400m heats. Clocking a new personal best of 48.39, the Athletics Australia Under 17 Development Squad charger dominated his heat to win in a time just 0.19 seconds outside of a qualifier for the World Youth Championships.

To view and download complete results from the Australian All Schools Championships, please follow this link.

The Australian All Schools Championships will conclude tomorrow, before track and field migrates north to Launceston for the Australian Schools Knockout Final.

 

 Athletics Australia – News