Athletics Australia – News – #Townsville2013: Boy\’s 400m set to light up the track

Australian athletics has a long history of strong competition in the 400m and that tradition is set to continue at the Australian All Schools Championships in Townsville (Qld).

With four up-and-coming charges set to take to the start line in the boy’s under 18 race this weekend, the event is arguably the most hotly contested track event on the timetable. It features the IAAF World Junior Championships qualified Sam Reiser (Vic) and James Kermond (NSW), with the duo set to face off with Bryce Collins (NSW) of Athletics Australia’s Under 19 Talent Squad and two-time 2012 Australian Junior Athletics Championships gold medallist Joshua Robinson (Qld).

Reiser ran a personal best of 47.10 only yesterday to make his intentions for the title clear, while Kermond’s season to date has been nothing short of impressive, boasting three IAAF World Junior Championships 200m qualifiers and a 400m mark of 47.70

The girl’s under 18 race will be equally exciting to watch, with IAAF World Youth Championships semi-finalist Molly Blakey (NSW) set to be challenged by 17-year-old Samantha Lind (Tas) and Athletics Australia Under 17 Development Squad representative Alina Tape (NSW).

Kermond and Robinson will return to the track for the boy’s under 18 200m. Here they will compete alongside Australian Youth Olympic Festival representative Anas Anu-Ganaba (NSW) and Briggs Athletics Classic 200m victor Jesse Usoaili (Tas).

Anu-Ganaba won the gold medal in the boy’s under 18 200m at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships, with Usoaili hot on his heels for silver. Anu-Gababa also won gold in the shorter 100m in Perth, while Usoaili was just outside the medals in 4th.

Boasting an IAAF World Junior Championships qualifier for both the girl’s 100m and girl’s 100m hurdles already, Katrina Hunt (NSW) headlines those in the mix for line honours in the girl’s short sprints. She lays claim to the fastest legal qualifier for the girl’s under 18 100m of 11.84.

Samantha Geddes (NSW), who is the sister of Australian Flame 4x100m relay runner Jarrod Geddes, will challenge Hunt to the line. The 16-year-old Geddes was the under 18 100m champion at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in March.

In the 400m hurdles, Athletics Australia Under 19 Talent Squad member Bryce Collins (NSW) looks like the man to beat, while Sakisha Dovey (Qld) will lead from the front in the girl’s event.

Importantly for Athletics Australia’s Junior High Performance Department, the Australian All Schools Championships also provide an opportunity for National Junior Coaches to witness a new generation of talent with performances set to highlight those with potential for selection to the 2014 Athletics Australia Under 17 Development Squad.

“The Australian All Schools are an important event for our team of National Junior Coaches because the event allows them to identify those that could potentially be selected to our Under 17 Squad,” Sara Mulkearns, Athletics Australia Junior High Performance Manager, said.

“The event is not the sole determinant of selection, but our junior coaches are given a fantastic opportunity to witness those kids competing for the first time in an age group that brings them onto our radar. They won’t simply be looking at the winners of the under 18 events either, but also those a little further down the result sheet and those that are competing strongly in under 16 aged events.”

The Australian All Schools Championships will be held in Townsville (Qld) from this Friday 6 December through Sunday 8 December.

For more information on the event, including entry lists and the current timetable, please click here.

Join the conversation online about the Australian All Schools Championships by using the hashtag #Townsville2013 and following @AthsAust and @athleticsnthqld on Twitter, or by becoming a fan of the Australian Athletics Tour on Facebook.

Athletics Australia – News