School Sport Australia Track and Field Championships
24 Nov 2013
SCHOOL SPORT AUSTRALIA 12 YEARS & UNDER WRAP
After three days of competition and a trip to Dreamworld this year’s School Sport Australia track and Field Championships has come to a close.
Tasmania’s sole medalist Julia Direen had a great championships after her lifetime best of 37.43m in the 12 years discus landed her in third place.
Direen now heads to Townsville where she will compete as an U14 age athlete in the Australian All Schools in her specialty event the Hammer Throw.
We also had two sprint stars emerge both progressing through to the final. Ryan Gale (100m, 200m) and Liana Kenna (100m).
Gale first on the opening day in the 10 years 200m where he placed 4th narrowly missing the medals with a time of 27.70 which was .23 of a second slower than his performance in the heat.
Whilst Kenna and Gale both progressed in the 100m race Kenna narrowly missing out on a bronze medal in the 11 years girls .02 of second to run 13.06 after her heat time of 13.14.
Kenna’s time was a massive improvement from her previous performances at the Clarence little athletics center.
With Gale having already progressed to one final the second was an added bonus for the 10 year old. His heat time of 13.72 was a lifetime best and he followed it up admirably with 13.82.
You could argue it was another 10 year old that stole the show with many performances across the whole competition. Madison Brazendale ran fast and often with a 29.90 in the 200m, 2:41.55 in the individual 800m only to go one better in the multi event 800m with a time of 2:40.71.
Madison’s final score in the Multi event placed her 4th overall with 896 points.
Other finalists include, Makayla Bingley (Shot Put 5th), Oscar Chau (Long Jump 8th), George McLeod (Long Jump 7th).
Other than our finalist’s and one medalist the Tasmanian Team will head home with bettered personal bests and having added one more chapter in their very brief sporting lives.
DAY 1 WRAP: SCHOOL SPORT AUSTRALIA 12 YEARS and UNDER
Tasmanian athletes have performed remarkably well on Day 1 of the School Sport Australia 12 years and under track and field Championships.
Our best performance on the day came from 12 year old Friends student Julia Direen, who won a Bronze Medal in the girls 12 years discus. Direen threw a lifetime best of 37.43m, coming in third behind new national record holder Rochelle Vidler, from Queensland, who threw 44.74m. Direen backed up in the discus after achieving a personal best in the High Jump.
Equally impressive was 10 year old Riverside Primary student Madison Brazendale, who currently sits in 5th place for the multi-event, after her efforts in the 100m and the long jump. The young student shone in all her events on day 1, also recording results of 29.90s for the 200m and 2:41.55 for the individual 800m. Sunday, she will tackle the 800m and shot put to round out the multi-event competition.
Ryan Gale, from Illawarra Primary school, achieved a new PB in the 200m event, qualifying for the final with a time of 27.47. Following this he backed up to place fourth; narrowly missing a medal in 27.70.
Sunday will see Gale once again go head to head with many of Saturday's finalists in the 100m.
Other top eight finishers include Oscar Chau, 12 boys Long Jump with 4.86m and Makayla Bingley, 10 years shot put after a 9.51m effort.
Arabella Phillips and Liam Preece are both sitting in 7th place after day one of the multi-event for 12 year old girls and boys, respectively.
Many of the team have come away from Saturday’s competition with personal bests in their chosen event, and day two will see team members combine to proudly represent Tasmania, finishing with the ever popular Medley Relay.