Khushnoor Rangi

This Saturday the second Australian Short Track Championships takes place.  These Championships emerged after World Athletics made changes so that countries without indoor facilities were not at a disadvantage in qualifying for the World Indoor Championships.   

This is not an unreasonable change, given about 80% of countries do not have a 200 metre track indoor facility, and travel to countries that do can be onerous and expensive.

This year sees a strong turnout of Australian athletes, with some fascinating head-to-heads anticipated.  Some athletes will also be aiming for the World Indoor or Commonwealth Games standards (both crucuial for selection to World Indoors).  Also many Australian Juniors have entered with their World standards in mind.

We have two champion athletes returning to competition which provides extra excitement.

Alexander Kolesnikoff returns for his first competition in Australia since April 2021.  Kolesnikoff distinguished himself in the NCAA in the shot put, both an indoor and outdoor All-American. The best Australian thrower since national record holder Damien Birkinhead retired, it would be great to see him push over 20 metres - something we haven't seen in this country by an Australian since 2021.  He faces British 20 metres plus thrower Scott Lincoln and current title holder Robert Marchesi-Scott.

Australian record holder Brooke Buschkuehl also returns after the birth of her first child. The contest with 2024 World Junior champion Delta Amidzovski will be fascinating, as they vie for not only World Indoors qualification (6.75m) but also Commonwealth Games (6.70m), which would be Buschkuehl's third Games if selected.

Amidzovski will also face off in the 60m hurdles against seasoned campaigners Michelle Jenneke & Danielle Shaw.  It wouldn't surprise if they get close to the 8.02 standard.

Ebony Lane has this year's lead time in the field over the 60m but will be challenged by a number of others including Olivia Matzer and junior 60m national record holder (7.30), Thewbelle Philp, who is one of the quickest out of the blocks.

Current title holders Emma Berg in the shot put, and Izobelle Louison-Roe in the high jump return, with Izobelle only 1cm from the World Indoor qualifier after last weeks big PB of 1.95m. 

Another returning champion is Georgia Tayler in the pole vault but the competition looks to have ramped up this year, and she'll face a tough challenge against Olivia Gross, Elyssia Kenshole and Cassidy Bradshaw.  There's also a strong junior contest within the pole vault. After grabbing a 100m hurdles World Junior standard last month, Jamison Harding now flips to her other interest, pole vault, to attempt to join Daisy Brayshaw, Sukhnoor & Khushnoor Rangi with the junior standard of 4.05m. 

2025 World Championships finalist Yual Reath got his season going with a gentle 2.20m clearance but will be stretching hard to see if he can approach the standard of 2.30m, which would be an equal PB  

Olympic finalist and World Universities Games champion Connor Murphy is back to defend his triple jump title.  Aidan Hinson has returned from injury and will be keen to push well past that 16 metre mark.  Juniors Daniel Okerenyang and Lian Anagnostopoulos will have an eye on the World Junior standard of 15.45m which is well within their capabilities.  Chloe Grenade is the leading competitor in the women's event.

In the long jump, Liam Fairweather, Harrison Williams & Amiru Chandrasena were three of the six jumpers over 7.50 metres in Canberra two weeks ago and will battle it out for the title 

The top three 60m hurdlers in Australia this year; Zane Eldridge, Timothy Forster and Rhys Dobbins face off against last years title winner Sam Hurwood.

While track events focus on the explosive, shorter distances for the titles, there's the added bonus of the Vic Milers Club holding the Victoria Mile Championships in the evening so some quality 800m & 1500m races will be on view as well.  Entries include Jaylah Hancock-Cameron, Tess Kirsopp-Cole and Abbey Caldwell in the 800m, while exciting emerging junior Alexander Cameron-Smith takes on 1:47 man, Hamish Donohue in the men’s event.  Juniors Lucas Chis and Imogen Baker could well be the ones to beat in the Mile Championships.

If you're in Melbourne head down to Lakeside for some quality, live athletics (free entry)!