Young Athletes Dazzle in Thrilling Conclusion of Australian Athletics Championships
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The Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships in Adelaide concluded with a spectacular finish on Sunday, April 14, featuring standout performances from young athletes Claudia Hollingsworth and Luke Boyes, alongside Chris Mitrevski's Olympic-qualifying long jump.
Claudia Hollingsworth, celebrating her 19th birthday just two days prior, achieved a milestone victory in the women’s 800m. She set a new Australian Under 20 record of 1:58.40, surpassing a field that included four athletes breaking the two-minute mark, including World Championships semi-finalist Abbey Caldwell, Olympian Bendere Oboya, and Australian record holder Catriona Bisset.
In the men's 800m, 20-year-old Luke Boyes claimed his first Australian title with a time of 1:44.73, narrowly missing the Olympic qualifying standard by just 0.03 seconds. The race was intense, with Boyes edging out Olympic finalist Peter Bol and emerging talent Peyton Craig.
Chris Mitrevski shone in the long jump, securing his spot for the Paris 2024 Olympics with a career-best leap of 8.32m in the final round. In high jump, world champions Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson competed fiercely, with Olyslagers setting a new championship record of 2.01m.
Rose Davies and Matthew Ramsden won the women’s and men’s 5000m with times of 15:21.62 and 13:39.61, respectively. In hurdles, Sarah Carli triumphed in the women’s 400m hurdles, and Michelle Jenneke claimed the women’s 100m hurdles title.
Torrie Lewis and Calab Law dominated the 200m races, with Lewis making a remarkable sub-23 second sprint in the heats, and Law capturing the title with a celebratory run.
Pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall cleared 5.62m to win the men's event but suffered an injury during his attempt at 5.72m, adding a dramatic note to the competition's conclusion.
