Four SA Athletes Heading to the World Athletics U20 Championships

Published Fri 22 Apr 2022

Photograph and story courtesy of Athletics Australia

The Colombian city of Cali will be the place to be for junior track and field athletes come August, with 60 future stars of Australian athletics set to compete at the World Athletics Under 20 Championships from 1-6 August.

Boasting 27 Australian Under 20 champions, the 60-strong team will be the largest ever Australian contingent to compete at a World Under 20 Championships, and greater in numbers by one than the Australian teams at the Eugene 2014 and Sydney 1996 World Under 20 Championships.

“Announcing an Australian junior representative team is always an exciting experience as so many of our athletes get ready to don the green and gold for the first time,” said Athletics Australia General Manager, High Performance Andrew Faichney.

“We’ve seen a staggering amount of qualifiers over the Australian domestic season, which made selection to this team incredibly competitive and all the more exciting for our athletes. The strength of this team too shows that Australian track and field is on the up and that’s a particularly exciting prospect as we look ahead to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, the Paris 2024 Games and of course, Brisbane 2032.

“To those selected, I’d like to congratulate you on this achievement and encourage you to relish the opportunity. For most of you, it will be your first chance to compete on the world stage, and from a development perspective, this is invaluable.”

The Australian team includes a mix of experience, with Tokyo Olympic 4x400 relay sprinter Ellie Beer (QLD) competing in both the individual and relay event, as well as the Australian Men’s Open 200m champion and Australian Under 20 record holder Aidan Murphy (SA) and Torrie Lewis (QLD), who has had a breakthrough season proving competitive with Senior ranked athletes.

South Australians Olivia Sandery and Alanna Peart will also compete internationally for the second time this year after claiming silver at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships, while Delta Amidzovski (NSW), who collected four national titles at the 2022 Australian Track and Field Championships, will be the youngest on the team at just 15-years-old.

The team will also feature twins, with New South Wales duo Jasmin and Isabella Guthrie competing in the 400m and 400m Hurdles event respectively, with both on the squad for the 4x400m relay event. The Guthrie sisters will be only the second twins to represent Australia in the sport, after Amy Harding-Delooze and Lily Harding-Delooze who competed on the 2015 Commonwealth Games Youth Team.

Out of the 60 athletes, 19 were previously selected for the 2021 Australian Under 20 team, but were unable to travel overseas due to Covid and other safety issues. Instead Athletics Australia held a camp for selected athletes, with a competition held against New Zealand’s junior team.

18-year-old Triple jumper Aiden Hinson (VIC) said he was beaming with the excitement, after waiting more than a year to make his international debut.
“With Australia not sending a team to World Juniors and battling through the lockdowns last year, it pushed my work ethic harder. It’s been so long since I got my first world junior qualifier and the extra time has helped me in preparing physically and mentally for such a big event. I can’t wait to experience wearing the Australian uniform and doing my country, my parents and all my supporters proud,” he said.

Fellow Victorian, Amy Bunnage who is set to compete in the Women’s 3000m echoed Hinson’s comments, stating:

“The camp on the Gold Coast last year gave me an awesome insight into what being on an Australian team is like, so I’m thrilled to be a member again and to have the opportunity to represent my country on the world stage for the first time.”

“I’m excited to be a part of such a talented group of athletes and I’m super keen to gain international experience while competing alongside some of the world’s best Under 20’s.”

The Australian team for the World Under 20 Championships will travel to the Gold Coast for their staging camp from 24th – 29th May, before departing for Colombia late July.

Australian Team
World Athletics Under 20 Championships
Cali, Colombia
1-6 August 2022

GIRLS (32):
Event, athlete, state, (coach, club)
100m:          Taylah Cruttenden WA (Braiden Clarke, West Track Club Athletic Club), Torrie Lewis QLD (Gerrard Keating, Gold Coast Victory Athletics)
200m:        Georgia Harris QLD (Paul Pearce, Sheldon Academy of Sport), Torrie Lewis
400m:       Ellie Beer QLD (Brett Robinson, Ignition Athletic Club), Jasmin Guthrie NSW (Angus McEntyre, UTS Norths Athletic Club)
800m:      Claudia Hollingsworth VIC (Craig Mottram, Mentone Athletic Club), Hayley Kitching NSW (Tim Kitching, Coffs Harbour Athletics Club)
1500m:        Nicola Hogg NSW (Ben Liddy, UTS Norths Athletic Club), Lucinda Rourke VIC (Craig Mottram, Williamstown Athletics Club)
3000m:      Amy Bunnage VIC (Tim O’Shaughnessy, Mentone Athletic Club), Nicola Hogg
5000m:     Laura Roderick NSW (William and Jordan Williams, Randwick Botany Athletic Club)
100m Hurdles:    Delta Amidzovski NSW (Roger Fabri, Athletics Wollongong), Emelia Surch QLD (Glynis Nunn, Ignition Athletic Club)
400m Hurdles:    Isabella Guthrie NSW (Angus McEntyre, UTS Norths Athletic Club), Ashley Spencer WA (Remo Pollastri, Uni of WA Athletic Club)
3000m Steeplechase:  Laura McKillop QLD (Andrew Lulham, Redlands Athletic Club), Emily Morden VIC (Phillip Molesworth, Athletics South West)
High Jump:    Erin Shaw NSW (Jack McArdle, UTS Norths Athletic Club), Toby Stolberg QLD (Theresa Stolberg, Ipswich & District Athletic Club)
Pole Vault:     Cassidy Bradshaw VIC (Chris Bradshaw, Deakin Athletic Club)
Long Jump:    Katie Gunn NSW (Matthew Horsnell, Gosford Athletic Club), Emelia Surch
Triple Jump:    Tiana Boras VIC (Alwyn Jones, Athletics Chillwell)
Discus Throw:    Marley Raikiwasa SA (Steve Larsson, Tea Tree Gully Athletic Club), Laylani Va’ai QLD (Michael Moore, Ipswich and Districts Athletic Club).
Javelin Throw:     Mackenzie Mielczarek VIC (Stephen Cain, Corio Athletic Club).
10,000m Walk:     Olivia Sandery SA (Bob Cruise & Jared Tallent, Pembroke Athletic Club), Alanna Peart SA (Jared Tallent, Ballarat YCW)
4 x 100m relay:   Taylah Cruttenden, Georgia Harris, Olivia Rose Inkster (Melinda Gainsford-Taylor & Katie Edwards, UTS Norths Athletic Club), Torrie Lewis, Hayley Reynolds QLD (Andrew Lulham, Lockyer District Athletic Club), Aleksandra Stoilova (Hayden Kovacic, Westfelds Athletic Club)
4 x 400m relay:   Txai Anglin QLD (Travis Venema, QUT Athletic Club), Ellie Beer, Isabella Guthrie, Jasmin Guthrie, Annie Pfeiffer (Lyn Foreman, Uni WA Athletic Club)

BOYS (28):
100m:   Jai Gordon QLD (Jaqueline Gallagher, Darling Downs Athletic Club), Calab Law QLD (Andrew Iselin, Mayne Harriers Amateur Athletic Club)
200m:   Calab Law, Aidan Murphy SA (Peter Fitzgerald, Saints Athletic Club)
400m:   Cooper Sherman VIC (Neville Down, Ballarat Harriers).
800m:      Luke Boyes NSW (Ben St Lawrence, Run Crew), Charlie Jeffreson NSW (Penny Gillies, The King’s School Athletic Club)
1500m:     Patrick Cantlon NSW (Owen Stewart, Trinity Athletic Club), Peyton Craig QLD (Brendan Mallyon, Uni of Sunshine Coast Athletic Club),
3000m:   Patrick Cantlon, Thomas Diamond VIC (Stephen Ellinghaus, Box Hill Athletics Club)
5000m:   Archie Noakes VIC (Charlotte Wilson, Athletics Essendon), Charlie Sprott QLD (Jayden Russ, Uni of QLD Athletic Club)
110m Hurdles:    Mitchell Lightfoot NSW (Andy Burton, Maitland Athletic Club), Tayleb Willis VIC (Peter Benifer, Ringwood Athletics Club)
400m Hurdles:    Kyle Bennett QLD (Sharon Dale, Thompson Estate Eastern Suburbs Athletic Club), Dominic Panozzo (Deb   Walsham, UTS Norths Athletic Club)
3000m Steeplechase:   Archie Noakes, Flynn Pumpa (Jayden Russ, Uni of QLD Athletic Club)
High Jump:    Lachlan O'Keefe (Paul Cleary, Wendouree Athletic club)
Pole Vault:     Liam Georgilopoulos QLD (Howard Arbuthnot, Gold Coast Victory Athletics), James Woods VIC (Bill Georgantis, Keilor St-Bernard's Athletic Club)
Long Jump:    Blake Shaw VIC (Chloe Stevens, Frankston Athletic Club)
Triple Jump:     Aiden Hinson VIC (Chloe Stevens, Frankston Athletic Club)
Discus Throw:    Darcy Miller SA (Steve Larsson, Saints Athletic Club), Etienne Rousseau WA (Didier Poppe, Uni of WA Athletic Club).
4 x 100m Relay:    Connor Bond (Mick Zisti, UTS Norths Athletic Club), Jai Gordon, Calab Law, Lachlan Kennedy (Russel Hansen, Uni of QLD Athletic Club), Aidan Murphy, Ryan Tarrant VIC (Adam Larcom, Essendon Athletic Club).
Mixed 4 x 400m Relay:     Brodie Hicks VIC (Steven Gaffney, Essendon Athletic Club), Thomas Reynolds VIC (Matt Oakley, Doncaster Athletic Club)