Athletics Australia – News – #AJAC13: Denny is the champion of champions

Mathew Denny (Qld) is the champion of champions at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships.

The winner of two gold medals today, Denny has now won six individual gold medals here in Perth.  He has also set four new personal bests and been automatically selected to compete in the boy’s discus and hammer throw at the IAAF World Youth Championships this July.

Denny’s success began when he won the boy’s under 18 discus with a 66.40m throw on day one, before victory in the boy’s under 18 hammer throw (74.29m), boy’s under 20 discus throw (58.67m, PB) and the boy’s under 18 shot put (19.39m, PB) yesterday.

Returning to the thrower’s circle today, Denny was triumphant in the boy’s under 20 hammer throw (73.29m, PB) and the boy’s under 20 shot put (16.92m, PB).

“I came over here and hoped for the best to be honest. I haven’t been that well and thought it would have an effect on how I performed. Thankfully it didn’t,” Denny said.

“The result here is the same as what I did at Queensland championships. I knew that it would be harder to achieve here, but I was quietly confident of performing well and to throw four personal bests as well is amazing.

“This shows that I am capable of doing something good at the World Youth Championships and hopefully again at championships in the future. It shows that I can cope with competing in varied conditions that I am not used to and that gives me confidence in the long run.

“I am just really proud to be honest, it’s been a great few days.”

Denicaucau, who had two qualifiers coming into competition, earned her automatic selection to compete in the girl’s discus throw at the IAAF World Youth Championships by winning the under 18 national title with a hurl of 42.50m.

The winner of the event at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, Denicaucau’s weather hampered six throw series today opened with 40.45m, before 41.35m, a foul, 39.54m, 42.35m and her winning mark to close.

Denicaucau’s win ensures that she will join best friend Paletina Lemi (NSW), who won the shot put yesterday, in the Australian team bound for Donetsk.

“Tina (Lemi) got through in the shot put earlier today and it’s great to know that we will be able to share the World Youth experience together. It’s going to be a great opportunity,” Denicaucau said.

The conditions were tough. I was a little bit freaked out with my first turn in the circle because there was so much water but once I had done that my confidence grew and I tried to use the wet weather to my advantage.”

“Competing at World Youths will give me a chance to compete at the highest level for my age, and that’s a great way to improve my nerves and composure as I move into senior competition. “

Denicaucau returned to the throwers circle for the girl’s under 20 shot put, winning bronze behind IAAF World Junior Championships representative Taylah Sengul (NSW, first, 13.02m) with a throw of 12.55m.

Wassall, who has an exceptional personal best of 2:04.68, was impressive on track when she crossed in 2:06.88 to win the girl’s under 18 800m ahead of Julia Minnucci (Tas, second, 2:07.38) and Tarryn Davey (NZL, third, 2:07.79).

Ensuring her automatic selection to the IAAF World Youth Championships by winning in yet another qualifier, the Australian Youth Olympic Festival gold medallist Wassall went it alone across the second lap before soldiering up the straight to win.

“I was on the whole pretty happy with my race, I savoured my energy in the first lap and then when I heard the bell I thought I would have a go and try to burn it off. I know that I am strong over the third-quarter and I wanted to make sure that I came into the run home with enough lead to hold on,” Wassall said.

“It was the hardest run for me in a while to be honest. I haven’t had a feeling like that in my legs for a while and I’m so stoked that I was able to hold on. It’s what I might need to do when I go to the World Youths so to do it here is a step in the right direction.”

Cameron Griffith (NSW) won the boy’s event in 1:53.34, with Jonas Aranda (WA, second, 1:53.83) and Alexander Seal (NSW, third, 1:54.62) on his shoulder at the line.

Two meet records were also set on track by Nathan Brill (Vic) and Kate Spencer (NSW).

The winner of the boy’s under 20 10,000m walk, Brill won the boy’s under 5000m walk in a meet record 20:33.90, while Spencer won her second gold medal of the championships when she clocked a meet record of 10:24.23 to win the girl’s under 20 3000m steeplechase from Stella Radford (Vic, second, 10:29.58) and Olivia Lucas (Qld, third, 10:58.12).

In other highlights:
–        Rhys Stein (NSW), who is the younger brother of IAAF world youth champion Jake Stein (NSW), won the boy’s under 18 javelin throw with a best mark of 68.86m. Rigby Vane–Wood (NSW, second, 67.89m) and Liam O’Brien (Qld, third, 67.62m) joined him on the podium.
–        Aliyah Johnson (Qld) edged out Audrey Kyriacou (NSW, second, 5.85m) to win the girl’s under 18 long jump with a leap of 5.92m (w: -1.4m).
–        Hugh Donovan (Qld, 21.54m w: -0.7), who is coached by former Commonwealth champion Denise Boyd, added a gold medal in the boy’s under 20 200m to the silver he won in the 100m yesterday. Tavleen Singh (NSW) took line honours in the girl’s event in 24.68 (w: -1.7).
–        Jamie Carr (NSW) and Bryce Collins (NSW) were crowned national champions in the girl’s and boy’s under 18 400m hurdles by winning their events in 1:01.79 and 52.87 respectively.
–        Sam Geddes (NSW) and Henry Smith (Vic) were first to cross in the girl’s and boy’s under 18 100m finals. Geddes stooped the clock at 12.08 (w: +0.1) and Smith posted 10.99 (w: -1.6).
–        IAAF World Youth Championships bound Molly Blakey (NSW) blazed the straight to win the girl’s under 17 100m in a time of 12.44 (w: -0.8).
–        Queensland were crowned boy’s under 20 4x400m relay champions 3:17.29, before New South Wales won the women’s event one race later in 3:49.46

Competition continues at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships, with more information available by CLICKING HERE.

To view and download results from the Australian Junior Athletics Championships, please CLICK HERE.

 

Athletics Australia – News