The red and black singlets of UTS Norths Athletics Club were out in force at the Sydney Olympic Park Warm Up Track this weekend for the NSW Combined Event Championships. With a mixture of grit, endurance, and explosive power on display, the club’s athletes delivered a phenomenal series of performances, highlighted by dominant multi-event displays and lightning-fast sprints in the Open events. The weekend showcased the incredible depth of talent within the club, from our emerging junior stars to our relentless masters athletes who continue to set the standard.
Leading the charge in the Open events was the unstoppable Avie Russell. Russell secured a magnificent sprint double, storming to victory in the Women’s 100m with a time of 11.90 seconds into a slight headwind, before returning to the track to take the top spot in the 200m in a blistering 24.46 seconds. Her dominance in the sprints was matched by James Mikan in the hurdles. Mikan produced a stellar run in the Men’s 300m Hurdles, crossing the line in 1st place with a time of 41.96 seconds, adding a top result to his 36th place finish in the highly competitive Open 100m. Charlie Watkins also showed his class over the barriers, securing a 2nd place finish in the Men’s 400m Hurdles with a strong time of 59.65 seconds. This depth is the development ground to follow the likes of Matt Crowe, Thomas Hunt, Jack McFadden, Mark Fokas and new sub 50 second quarter hurdler in Matt Hunt (49.95s) at the Nationals Capital.
The multi-event athletes faced a gruelling schedule, testing their versatility across track and field. In the U20 Women’s Heptathlon, Tara Hollyoak was simply sensational. Hollyoak put together an incredibly consistent series, racking up wins in the 200m (26.55), 800m (2:37.95), Javelin (33.34m), Long Jump (5.21m), and Shot Put (11.11m). She also secured a 2nd place in the High Jump and 3rd in the 100m Hurdles, cementing her status as a premier all-rounder. Catherine Mikan also featured in the Heptathlon, showing brilliant form to win the 100m Hurdles in 15.13 and the High Jump with a 1.68m clearance, alongside a 2nd place in the Shot Put, before withdrawing from later events. In the U16 Heptathlon, Chelsea Forte displayed immense promise, securing 2nd place finishes in the 200m and Javelin, and a 3rd place in the Shot Put, battling through a packed field to record consistent top results across all seven disciplines.
The Masters women were nothing short of prolific in the Outdoor Pentathlon, achieving multiple clean sweeps. Nicki Drinkwater (50-54) was in a league of her own, taking 1st place in every single event: 100m, 800m, Javelin, Long Jump, and Shot Put. Antoinette Baron (75-79) matched this perfect record, also sweeping all five of her events with gold-standard performances. Sarah Hall (60-64) was nearly as dominant, securing four 1st place finishes and a 2nd place in the Javelin. The depth continued with Margaret Thomas (65-69) taking top honours in the 800m and consistent 2nd place finishes across sprints and throws. Alison Lumley (45-49) was the model of consistency, finishing 2nd in all five of her disciplines. Elizabeth Morison (40-44) claimed victory in the 100m and secured top-3 finishes in all her other events. Janet Naylon (55-59) showed her throwing prowess with a win in the Javelin and leaping to victory in the Long Jump, while Sandy Hoy (55-59) battled hard for 2nd place finishes in the 800m, Javelin, and Long Jump.
On the men's side, the Masters Pentathlon competitors fought hard. Craig Baker (40-44) was outstanding, claiming 1st place in the 200m, Discus, and Javelin, proving his power and speed combination is formidable. Tim McGrath (60-64) was equally impressive in the field, winning the Javelin and Long Jump while securing top-3 finishes in his other events. Tim had withdrawn from the Thursday evening Milers meet and Pole vault event as precautionary for the State Champs. Chris Greatrex (55-59) added to the gold tally with a win in the Discus and strong 2nd place finishes in the 200m and Javelin. Giuseppe Valletta (40-44) and Matteo Passerini (40-44) also represented the club with distinction; Valletta secured a 2nd place in the Discus, while Passerini produced a massive 5.98m Long Jump to take 1st place in that discipline and a sharp 12.57s in the 100m as he has now comitted to focused training sessions with the Maximum Effort squad.
The Open sprint fields were packed with UTS Norths talent. Ben Johnston clocked a sharp 11.21 for 8th in the 100m, closely followed by Joel Flude in 11.28 (11th). Alexander Fijan showed great potential with a 21st place in the 100m (11.71) and 22nd in the 200m. Jason Luther, James Mikan, Matteo Passerini, and Chris Mulcahy all put in strong efforts in the 100m heats. In the women’s 100m, Matilda Harrison sprinted to a fine 6th place in 12.30, supported by Gemma McIntosh (12th), Sarah Healey (13th), Eisla Scully (26th), and Maryann Hearn (31st). Hearn also doubled up in the 200m, finishing 25th. The 200m men saw Kyle Saffy, Martin Szeto, and David Neill drive hard to the line, while Brad Sharpe unfortunately did not finish the steeplechase. Despite some DNS results from Daniel Nolan, Nana Kawaura, and others, the club’s presence was felt in almost every heat.
This weekend at Sydney Olympic Park was a testament to the hard work put in at training. With a staggering number of top results and personal bests, UTS Norths continues to demonstrate why it is a powerhouse in NSW athletics. The camaraderie and spirit shown by our combined eventers and individual athletes alike set a fantastic tone for the start of the season as others travelled to Canberra to take part in the favoured ACT State Championships, more news to follow.
