Images: Oliver Rule (inside) and Cameron Wonnocott running in the 1500m
Hayley Colless in the U14 80m hurdles
Kayce Hoani-Vincent won bronze in the U16 pole vault
Mikayla Webb was part of the gold-winning Queensland 4 X 100m relay team
Toby Rule with his silver medal from the 3000m
While December has been a month of wrapping up 2022 for most of us, a group of talented Mackay athletes trekked across the country to the All Schools Track and Field Championships held in Adelaide. There was no winding down or early trifle for this group, who put it all on the line in one of the biggest competitions of the season.
Brothers Oliver and Toby Rule started the competition strong, with Oliver running a 1-second personal best in the 1500m and Toby finishing 4th in the steeplechase. The next day, Toby pulled out a superhuman effort to run a 31-second personal best in the 3000m, which awarded him richly with a silver medal.
Toby described the event as the “race of my life.”
“Crossing the finish line knowing I had placed at nationals was a competition highlight,” Toby said.
“I felt tired as I took the podium but happy with what I achieved.”
Oliver ran a competitive steeplechase, finishing in 8th place.
Oliver completed Year 12 this year and is planning to stay in Mackay to work, study and compete in 2023.
“I’ve started a traineeship with EHW Tech and will start at CQ University studying IT in February. I hope to compete for the Mackay Athletics Club and represent Queensland in 2023,” he said.
Speedster Mikayla Webb continued to show promise as one of the fastest teenagers in Australia by making both the 200m and 100m finals. She narrowly missed the podium in the 200m placing 4th, but snatched the bronze in the 100m by 0.002 of a second. Representing Queensland in the 4 X 100m relay, Mikayla helped anchor her team to a win, coming home as an Australian champion.
Kayce Hoani-Vincent won bronze in the U16 pole vault to cap off an impressive season.
James Galea came close to a podium place in the discus, placing 4th with a huge 5m personal best throw. He backed up with 5th placings in the hammer and shot put.
It was the first time at the championships for athletes Adison Byrd and Drew Lawn. Adison finished 10th overall in the U16 long jump equalling his personal best and ran a leg in the 4x100m final. He came 9th in the high jump and 9th in the triple jump. Drew finished 4th in the U17 triple jump, just short of his personal best and just outside the medals. Drew came 9th in the long jump and 11th in the high jump.
Jacob Adams ran a personal best in the U16 100m to place 11th and in the 200m to place 12th. Hayley Colless in the U14 came 10th in the 80m hurdles. Cameron Wonnocott ran a great personal best of 39 seconds in the 1500m placing 12th, and then running a 23-second personal best in the 800m to place 9th.
