U14 Boys 4x100m:
Not 1, but 4 of these young men have lit up the Victorian Tracks throughout 2022. The team comprised of Zulq Haider, Cooper Brancatisano, Matthew Milias and Ashvin Jayawardena will head to Adelaide as hot favorites to take the gold. Normally rivals on the track, this quartet have a fantastic bond and energy when it comes to harmonizing for relays. Already securing a gold at the Junior National Championships earlier this year in Sydney by over 2 seconds, they will be looking to do the double in Adelaide and edge closer to the meet record. The boys will also be competing in their respected individual events, where they will be top seeded.
Zulq Haider: 90m Hurdles, 200m, 400m
Cooper Brancatisano: 100m, 200m
Matthew Milias: 400m, 90m Hurdles, Long Jump
Ashvin Jayawardena: 100m, Triple Jump
Marcus Wakim U17 Boys:
2022 has been a real breakout year for Marcus, at only 16 he has already notched an Australian team on his belt of accomplishments. Competing this season at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Muscat, Oman. His seed time of 21:40.60 is already well under the current meet record of 22:15.13 held since 2006. This gutsy walker will certainly be one to cheer on for gold.
Marcus Wakim: 5000m Race Walk
Kirra Wright T38 U15 Para Girls:
Kirra walked away with a swag of medals in Sydney this year at National Junior Championships (2x Gold, 2x Silver, 1x Bronze) and Victorian State Championships (5x Gold), robbing both Athletics Australia and Athletics Victoria of precious medals. A shy young woman off the track, Kirra certainly competes with a lot of passion and determination on the track.
Kirra Wright: 100m Para, 200m Para, Long Jump Para, Shot Put Para
Miller Smith U15 Boys:
Hailing from Barwon Heads, Miller has proven himself to be a promising young Hurdler. Collecting national silver medals in the 100mH and 200mH earlier this year, he will be looking to go one better in Adelaide as he chases the elusive gold in his pet events. Miller has also shown his passion and commitment to team by stepping into relays, carrying the big V. You can spot Miller at the track with a big straw hat carrying his eskie of replenishments.
Miller Smith: 100m Hurdles, 200m, 200m Hurdles, 4x100m
Rangi Sisters; Sukhnoor & Khushnoor U16 Girls:
Coke vs Pepsi, Nike vs Adidas, Collingwood vs Carlton, talk about colossal rivalries, this matchup has it all. With family bragging rights and front seat car privilege for the 8-hour drive home on the line, Sukhnoor and Khushnoor are the country’s top 2 seeded athletes in the U16 Girls Pole Vault. Sukhnoor has won the chocolates at National Championships earlier this year, as well as the recent Victorian All Schools Championships, while Khushnoor was the bridesmaid on both occasions. We wait in anticipation for these sisters to battle it out again in Adelaide.
Sukhnoor & Khushnoor Rangi: Pole Vault
Mackayla Culvenor U15 Girls:
Mackayla has shown huge improvements in the last 8 months. Top seeded in the U15 Girls Triple Jump, as the only athlete to have qualified with a jump over 12m, only 22cm from the National meet record, having improved 68cm from her silver medal jump at National Junior Championships in Sydney. She can also be seen on the track competing in the 200m and 4x100m showing off her range of skills across disciplines.
Mackayla Culvenor: Triple Jump, 200m, 4x100m
Ella Hose F37 U20 Women:
A veteran at National All Schools, Ella will look to take the double gold in her last National All Schools of her career. Top seed in her events, Ella will be looking to improve on her silver medals from Junior Nationals. Having improved by over 2m in her preferred Discus event, she will look to continue her pursuit for the 28m mark.
Ella Hose: Shot Put Para, Discus Para
Frankleen Newah-Jarfoi U18 Men:
Our fastest man in the team, Frankleen will be our top contender in the blue riband event, the U18 Boys 100m. Frankleen recorded a sizzling 10.78 (w) at APS finals, representing Caulfield Grammar, where he took the crown for fastest schoolboy in the Open 100m, just edging out Victorian teammate Patrick Poulter (200m). He backed it up at Victorian All Schools posting his fastest legal time of 10.83 in the final. He will have to be at his best to take down his fellow Oceanian 4x100m teammate and current Australian U18 Boys 100m record holder Sebastian Sultana from NSW. Frankleen will also join up with training partner Jaydon Nti (Top seed U17 Boys 100m) in the U18 4x100m as both the boys were part of a record-breaking club team that broke a 30 year old State 4x100m record.
Frankleen Newah-Jarfoi: 100m, 4x100m
Jamison Towers U15 Girls
Coming from a multi-event background, Jamison has found recent success in specializing in Long Jump, improving 29cm on her gold medal jump from National Junior Championships earlier in the year. She now only requires a further 32cm to break the meet record, held by no other than former Victorian All Schools representative and current Australian Women’s Long Jump record holder Brooke Buschkuehl (nee Stratton).
Jamison Towers: Long Jump
The Wongs; William U17 Boys & Laura U14 Girls
Another family duo, the Wongs are both coached by Father Eric out of Glenhuntly AC. There must be a special secret family dinner in the house, as both Will and Laura are top ranked hurdlers in their respected age groups. Not only are they handy over the sticks, they both have speed to burn, with William also representing Victoria in the 100m and Laura in the 4x100m.
William Wong: 100m, 110m Hurdles
Laura Wong: 80m Hurdles, 4x100m
All photographs taken and generously provided by Scott Sidley.