Our Stories

QUEENSLAND’S BEST TO RUN KOBE MARATHON THIS SUNDAY - Tim Vincent

This Sunday 17th November, Queensland marathon champions Tim Vincent and Ella McCartney will race in the
Kobe Marathon in Japan. Kobe Marathon is the “sister marathon” to our own Gold Coast Marathon and each
year, Queensland Athletics and GCM offer an all expenses paid trip for Queensland marathon champions (at
GCM) to run in Kobe. This is a fantastic opportunity for Queenslanders as it’s a big international race on a fast
course in cool weather. Plus a great way to recognise Queensland’s best!


Benita Willis, Qrun manager and four-time Olympian, has interviewed both Ella and Tim ahead of Sunday. On
behalf of QA and GCM, we’d like to wish you both all the very best for Sunday! 


**Please note Ella placed 2nd in the Qld marathon championship but 1st place getter Gen Gregson, had another
opportunity to race a marathon around the same time so this race entry was given to Ella. We want to also wish
Gen all the very best in her upcoming marathon in Valencia!

 

BW: Congrats on your recent senior Australian team debut at the World Road Running
Champs (half marathon – 48 th / 1:03:40min). What was your most memorable part of the
trip?


TV: World Road Running was an awesome event and I was fortunate enough to be a part of
the team. My most memorable part was our low-key team meeting the afternoon before
the event in our hotel. Our team manager Nic handed out our race numbers at this meeting
and this was a memorable moment for me to see my surname on a World Athletics bib
being my first team.


BW: I know a supportive training (work/ family etc) environment enables us to perform at
our best. Who are some of those in your corner who have helped along the way? How
important has Jacko and GC Run Co. been in your rapid improvement over the years?


TV: I’m very lucky to have many supportive people in my corner including my family, my
partner, my first running coach (Gavin Jackson) and my team at Gold Coast Run Co. Jacko
has played a very important role in my last 12 months as I’ve transitioned from the
university lifestyle to working as an exercise physiologist around 25 – 30 hours per week. I’m
now completely Brisbane based so I train mostly alone and via correspondence. He’s a very
busy guy and I appreciate the time I’m given to make things work.


BW: Going back to GCM in July – congrats on 1 st place in the Qld Marathon Champs running
a brilliant debut of 2:17:17 (14 th overall). How did you find your first marathon? Were there
hard stages in the race?


TV: My first experience at the marathon was a positive one. I feel like I am still learning from
it the more I look back at it. My build up was good but I feel my execution was not when
compared to my best races over the shorter distances on the roads. I ran quite passively
which got me to the finish line but I hope to run with a bit more intent for Kobe Marathon. I
found the first 10 km of the marathon the hardest as my mind was very active and I was
aware of how far I still had left to run.


BW: What mileage do you typically run in a marathon prep and what’s your favourite
session in this block?


TV: This marathon block has been quite different to my first. I have only completed one
specific marathon session due to all the racing I’ve been doing. I typically run between 175 –
180 km a week in preparation for a marathon. I was able to complete a 3 week stint at
1800m above sea level prior to Riga in Livigno, Italy where I ran 180 km per week and I
believe this has given me the base which I’m continuing to build off for the upcoming Kobe
Marathon. My favourite session would have to be 1 km hard, 1km recovery for 24 km as I
felt much more in my element than the longer reps I’ve done of up to 8 km at a time.
BW: Looking at your prep for GCM, has it changed much getting ready for Kobe marathon
later this month? If so, what changes have you made?

 

TV: Jacko and I have reduced mileage for this preparation and included more racing and
anaerobic sessions. We’ll continue to refine this I’m sure as it’s only my second marathon.
We both have ideas which we share to the other and what I complete is usually somewhere
in the middle. I don’t believe we’ve hit the nail on the head yet regarding preparation but
we’re going in the right direction.


BW: I know you quite often run on grass or trails or roads – how important is it to you to run
on different surfaces within your program?


TV: Quite important regarding load. I reduce load for a given number of kilometres per week
by altering the surface (grass ovals). I find my body responds well to trail hill sessions so 8 x
800m hills was a staple for me in Livigno. I think there is a lot of merit for the strength it
provides the intrinsic muscles in the feet.


BW: How do you motivate yourself to get through races that are tougher then they should
be (or training sessions)?


TV: I find racing much easier to be motivated as I’m emotionally invested in the outcome. I’ll
usually find a memory from my preparation and use this as positive reinforcement. On the
other hand I found my first marathon sessions quite difficult to stay motivated as they were
so long and I was very tired. I usually try and think about the people closest to me and what
they give up to make what I do possible. Common things include my mum, dad or my
partner riding beside me when they could be in bed before a full day of work.
BW: Good luck in Kobe! We can’t wait to see how you go and what a great 2023 year all
round!


TV: Thanks very much for your time Benita, looking forward to completing my final
preparations and having another go at the marathon in Kobe!

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Queensland’s best to run Kobe Marathon this Sunday - Ella McCartney

This Sunday 17th November, Queensland marathon champions Tim Vincent and Ella McCartney will race in the
Kobe Marathon in Japan. Kobe Marathon is the “sister marathon” to our own Gold Coast Marathon and each
year, Queensland Athletics and GCM offer an all-expenses paid trip for Queensland marathon champions (at
GCM) to run in Kobe. This is a fantastic opportunity for Queenslanders as it’s a big international race on a fast
course in cool weather. Plus a great way to recognise Queensland’s best!


Benita Willis, Qrun manager and four-time Olympian, has interviewed both Ella and Tim ahead of Sunday. On
behalf of QA and GCM, we’d like to wish you both all the very best for Sunday! 


**Please note Ella placed 2 nd in the Qld marathon championship but 1 st place getter Gen Gregson, had another
opportunity to race a marathon around the same time so this race entry was given to Ella. We want to also wish
Gen all the very best in her upcoming marathon in Valencia!

 

BW: Congrats on your brilliant run (& PB) at Gold Coast Marathon earlier this
year! Can you describe your feeling as you crossed the line? Were you
expecting this result?
 
EM: Crossing the Gold Coast Marathon finish line was such an incredible
feeling. I was so happy to finish in the goal time I had planned. I aimed for sub
2:40 but wanted 2:36-2:38 so was absolutely wrapped to have the race go to
plan. 
 
BW: What did an average week look like leading up to GCM and what weekly
mileage were you running?
 
EM: My weeks were very similar each week with intervals Tuesday, a
midweek longer run Wednesday, another interval session Thursday or Friday,
a few easy runs and double days during the week and then Sundays were the
main marathon session which was between 30-38km with lots of longer
intervals chucked in the middle. Most weeks I would get between 120/150km
total.
 
BW: Do you like to race much in the lead up to marathons? Why/ why not?
 
EM: I prefer training over racing but I do try to do a few races in the lead up to
get an idea of how I’m tracking. 
 
BW: Most memorable race to date and why?
 
EM: Gold Coast Marathon. I’d train for this marathon for 3yrs. Covid cancelled
it the first year, the next year I got covid 1 week before the race so this year I
was so excited to just make the start line. The atmosphere on the course
made the race so fun and not as hard as it sounds to run 2:38. The crowd
really pushes you along. 
 
BW: I know you recently took some time out from running and went on a
holiday to Bali. How important is it to have some time away from running to
rest/ relax etc?
 
EM: I think it’s really important to get away and not always think about running
but in saying that I love running when I’m away and exploring new places. It’s
mostly easy k’s when I’m on holidays and it’s just for my own mental health,
not to get faster. You always feel better after a run. 
 
BW: Fav running surface i.e. road/ track/ trails/ grass?
 
EM: I love road running the most but I do love running trails with friends, I’m
just not good at running trails fast. Im too scared. Iv recently started training at
a track and that’s fun as well. So let’s say I love it all.

 
BW: How has your preparation been going for Kobe marathon?
 
EM: My preparation hasn’t been ideal at all. Iv had Bali belly, a sinus infection
and I’m currently 1 week out from the race and recovering from the flu which I
caught from my son. This last week I got 140km still but it’s all been very
easy. 
 
BW: What are you most looking forward to about racing in Japan?
 
EM: Iv heard such amazing things about Japan and racing over there and just
how well they look after all the athletes . I’m so excited to experience all the
amazing things that iv heard. The vibe and the Japanese people sujounds so
lovely. 
 
BW: I know you run with Sole Sisters and have a few other training partners
up on the Sunny Coast like the famous Beth McKenzie – how important to you
are training partners and being part of a great running community?
 
EM: For me it’s been really important to be surrounded by such an amazing
group of like minded runners. I’m very lucky to have Beth. We’ve trained for
Marathons together and I don’t think I could get through those hard session on
my own. It makes the hard runs fun and the easy runs we don’t stop talking.
We call it run therapy. My other girlfriend Renee runs Sole Sisters and is doing
such amazing things for this group of women. 
 
BW: Thanks so much for your time. Good luck in Kobe!

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Race Walking Summary Sheet

230211 3000m Race Walk Summary FILE

230211 5000m Race Walk Summary FILE

230225 3000m Race Walk Summary FILE

230225 10000m Race Walk Summary FILE

 

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Tickets now available Brisbane Track Classic

Taking place at the Qld Sport and Athletics Centre, the Brisbane Track Classic will be held on April 9th from 2pm and will showcase the best athletes from Australia and around the Pacific. One week after the Australian Athletics Championships, there will be plenty of newly crowned Australian champions showcasing their talents for the crowd, as well as a raft of international stars.

Having her first home competition as a new resident of Brisbane, Kelsey-Lee Barber will line up in the women’s Javelin, an event in which she has dominated in recent years, owning the meet record with a throw of 64.57m. After taking home the 2019 World Athletics Championship title in Doha, Barber continued her work through 2020 and, after some clutch throws, took home the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Her 2021 year ended with a second-place finish at the World Athletics Diamond League Final in Zurich.

After disappointingly being left off the New Zealand Olympic team in 2021, Zoe Hobbs has had the perfect reply in 2022, breaking the NZ 100m record she held equally with Michelle Seymour in January, then lowering it further in Hastings with 11.15s, a performance that met the qualifying standard for both the World Athletics Championship in Oregon as well as the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade. At those Indoor championships, she finished a fantastic 11th, 0.02 from a finals berth. Zoe will line up in the 100m in Brisbane, an event she last contested in 2019 where she took the win.

Another who took out the Men’s 100 in 2019, is former Japanese record holder and first Japanese athlete to run under 10s, Yoshihide Kiryu. Pushed all the way to the line by a breakout performance from Rohan Browning, both athletes recorded a time of 10.08s, with Kiryu being given the win in a new meet record. Fast forward to 2021 and Browning goes one better, running 10.05s to qualify himself for Tokyo and have the meet record all to himself. Kiryu will be looking for vengeance in 2022 against a deep field of 100m sprinters from Australia and New Zealand.

A new face to our shores but an experienced campaigner, the Men’s Long Jump will feature a certified winner in Japan’s Yuki Hashioka. A four-time national champion, his international victories began in Finland where he was crowned the 2018 World U20 champion. The wins kept rolling in 2019, winning the Asian Games and the World University Games. He went on to finish eighth at the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships but his sixth-place finish at his home Olympics in Tokyo topped off a 2021 that included a personal best leap of 8.36m

 

Previously known as the QLD Track Classic, the name change comes about thanks to the announcement of Brisbane hosting the 2032 Olympics. We hope to create a legacy for this competition that continues amazing track and field performances till 2032.

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2021 Queensland All Schools Merit Team

After what was a fantastic set of competitions over the last weekends, we are proud to present the Queensland All Schools Merit Team for 2021.

In the absence of an Australian Schools Championships for 2021, we feel it vital to recognise the performances of those who competed at the QLD All Schools in what has been another tough year for our school athletes. 

Athletes who have been named in the team below also receive an automatic qualifier to the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in the following age groups (2010 to 2003, those turning 12 to 19 in 2022)
 

Girls Merit Team Boys Merit Team
Under 20 Under 20
Under 18 Under 18
Under 16 Under 16
Under 14 Under 14
Under 12 Under 12
Para Athletes Para Athletes

 

Queensland All Schools Merit Team selection policy

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Des Johnston awarded Athletics Australia Life Membership

At the 2021 Queensland Athletics annual general meeting, its long-standing president, Des Johnston announced he would be standing down from the role but to the relief of many, Des has remained on the board and continues to offer advice and assurance to his fellow board members. Des was first elected as a board member of QA in 2011 and soon after, in early 2012, after the tragic loss of his good friend and then president, Reg Brandis, was elected as the Association’s president.

At that time the membership of QA was around 4,800. Nine years on the number was almost 15,000 with the State now leading the national figures. There had been significant increases in participation in shield meets and championships and QA is in a sound financial position. The association is very active in the recreational running space with the innovative Qrun program. As president, Des led a Board that was focused on the best outcomes for athletes. Significantly, the once fractured relationship with Athletics North Queensland became a partnership based on trust and common goals for our sport.

Des led and worked with the Board to implement several successful projects. The first, and perhaps most critical, was to unite what had been at times a divided association, the relationships are not only vastly improved but arguably demonstrate the best practice example of how the diverse needs of regional and metropolitan athletics can work together for the greater good. The always approachable Des can be seen on the track officiating most weekends in the summer and at cross country during the winter. He received AQ Merit Award in 2014 and AA’s silver award for 20 years service as an official and administrator the following year. Des started his career in athletics whilst still a Queensland schoolteacher - a profession in which he proudly worked in from 1960 through until his retirement in 1997.

As a well-known schoolteacher in the Ipswich area, Des contributed to School Sport Queensland over a 30-year period. During that time Des was a coach and manager for Queensland Primary School teams traveling to Australian Championships from 1968 through to 1996. His commitment to school sport was legendary in his home State where he was the chair of Queensland Primary School Track and Field from 1992 until 1996. He also brought his considerable skill to assist in administration, ultimately to act as chair of Queensland Primary Track and Field Championships from 1990. With the Sydney Olympics on the horizon, the late 1990s also saw Des turn his attention and skills to officiating, ultimately achieving AA;s highest grading level as a track official. He was quickly recognized and was appointed as a technical official at the 2000 Games. Des has also played an ongoing and significant role at many national championships where he is highly regarded not only for his own skills but for his commitment to mentoring others and in particular guiding newcomers to the national scene.

In addition to being an umpire at the Sydney Olympics and Paralympics, his abilities continued to be recognised through appointments to the 2001 Goodwill Games (as assistant chief umpire) and 2004 Oceania Championships (assistant track referee). There were also key roles at the 2006 and 2018 editions of the Commonwealth Games as assistant chief umpire and assistant outside events referee. Twenty year later, Des continues significant contributions in officiating, turning out like clockwork at club and school meets. Often seen in the role of track referee, Des’ calm and friendly manner is particularly appreciated by athletes. At national level, Des has made substantial contributions both as an administrator and technical official. As Queensland president and delegate to AA, his quiet and patient approach has always been considered and valuable. Des Johnston has been a major contributor to all aspects of our sport from the grassroots to national and area level for over 50 years and has the absolute respect of his peers, making him an excellent candidate for consideration for life membership of Athletics Australia.

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2021 1500m Classic Review

REPORT – 1500M CLASSIC
By Tom Brandt

The 17th running of the 1500m Classic took place at the UQ Sport Athletics Centre on the evening of October 20th.  With the threat of possible lock down and a short window of time for entry into the event still 270 plus athletes submitted entries for the event across 20 races, indicating the popularity of the event in the distance running community.  A portend of things to come was the result of the Under 12 Boys Race 1 where Alexander Wain of the Gold Coast Run Co training group broke Ben Ganko’s record dating back to 2013 of 4:29.22, when he ran 4:27.14 to win the event. 

 

As the lightning was lighting up the sky, the Secondary Girls Race one and the Women’s Classic athletes lit up the track.  In Secondary Girls Race 1 Georgie Gilroy of Athletics North Club broke away from the field on the last lap and showed a clean pair of heels to the other competitors to take out the event in 4:27.22 to break one of the oldest records - that of Jade Brandt at 4:32.57 set in 2007.  Gabrielle Schmidt in second place running 4:32.21 also just snuck under the old record.  Third place went to Ella Rodwell in 4:32.94, just a tick off the old record.   A small field of only seven athletes faced the starter’s gun in the Women’s Classic race.  The athletes ran in a tight knit pack for two laps following the pacemaker.  When the pace-maker dropped out a pack of four broke away and really brought the crowd to their feet as they stormed to the finish line. In a pack of four.  It required the eagle eye of the photofinish team to separate the runners with the win going to Isabella Harte of Athletics North in 4:23.63 with Cara Feain-Ryan of the UQ Club in second in 4:23.61 and Sayla Donnelly of the Gold Coast Running Co training group in third place in 4:23.74

 

What had started with so much promise with the early events came to a halt when the meet had to be temporarily abandoned as a storm raged around the Athletic Centre precinct.  After a forty-five minute pause the meet reconvened but some of the sting had been taken out of the meet.  The meet recommenced with the Schoolboys Race 1 and the athletes had a crack at the long-standing record of Jack Curran at 3:55.29 set in 2010, but Brock Waugh of the Gold Coast Run Co training group fell just short in winning in 3:57.60 from Flynn Pumpa of the UQ Club in 3:58.40 and Harvey Cramb of Border Striders in 3:58.9.  The Open Men’s Classic followed and featured a changing of the guard with a number of young rising stars who had featured in recent school events.  The favourite for the event was Callum Davies of the UQ Club, but the question was how fast he could go and whether he could nudge the record dating back to 2005 after a recent bout of illness.  Callum followed the pacemaker through 800 metres and then broke away from the field and eased up to win in a classy time of 3:46.62 with his recent illness taking the sting out of his finish.  But the win caps a very successful season for the rising star of Queensland Athletics.   Second place went to Louis McAfee of the Gold Coast Running Co training group, and third place went to sixteen-year old Craig Peyton, an athlete to watch for the future in 3:47.28.

 

All in all it was a successful night of middle distance racing.  The organisers of the event were impressed with the number of athletes who waited out the storm and were present for their races.  The other feature of the night was the number of tight finishes in the races that the track officials weren’t able to separate and had to depend on photofinish to get the correct result.  A feature of the meet is that races are seeded based on times and sometimes there is not much of a spread of seed times in a race.

 

The 2021 edition of the 1500m Classic is now done and dusted and the UQ Sport Athletic Centre and Queensland Athletics can now look forward to planning for an even better event in 2022.

Full results here

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2021 QLD All Schools Championships

The 2021 Queensland All Schools Championships with feature two weekends of Track and Field action at QSAC, Brisbane on October 16-17 and October 30-31.

This year the event will be split by age groups, with the first weekend boys and girls 15yrs to 19yrs (2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002) and the second weekend boys and girls 10yrs to 14yrs (2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007)

These events are open to everyone in the age groups listed above and there are no qualifying standards! Athletes may only compete in their age groups and will not be permitted to compete up an age.

This will be a direct qualifying event for the 2021 Australian All Schools Championships (u14 to u18) as well as the 2022 Australian Junior Athletics Championships (u14 to u20). If the Australian All Schools Championships does not go ahead, a merit team will be selected from the results. A selection policy outlining all of this will be available closer to the championships. A state Merit team will be announced for the primary school ages (10-12yrs)

Just as we did with the 2020 championships, all track events will be contested as timed finals based on seed times.

All hurdles and steeplechase events (regardless of age) will be completed on the first weekend, October 16-17. This will mean that any athletes wanting to do hurdles (13yrs and 14yrs) and Steeplechase (14yrs) will have their events held on the first weekend with the 15-19yrs athletes.

Again, just as we did with the 2020 championships, the Hammer Throw and Pole Vault championships will be contested during the Shield meet season. More information on this will be available in the next few weeks.

The 2021 Queensland All Schools Championships will be the first event for the 2021/2022 season and athletes will need to renew their membership to compete (if they haven’t already). Entry to these events and the new season membership will open October 4th.

For the 2021/2022 membership information, please click here.

 

Please direct any questions to info@qldathletics.org.au

 

 

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***STOP PRESS***

The Road to 32 competitions are open to all School and Club based athletes. As a guide, if you have or were about to compete at School District level then these meets, along with the QLD Schools Championships, would be ideal for you.

If you are a School based athlete, you will need to join Queensland Athletics as a Base Member. This Membership will last until 1 October 2022.

If you are a current Member of Queensland Athletics, then you will already be eligible for all the Road to 32 competitions. However, you will need to renew your Membership for the 2021/2022 season to enter the QLD Schools Championships, as they are to be held after the season renewal date.

The Membership portal and event entry system will be available on the Queensland Athletics website by Wednesday, September 1st.

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Queensland Cross Country team announcement

After a fantastic winter season here in Queensland, culminating in the QLD Cross Country championships at Toogoolawah, we are proud to present the QLD team selected for Australian Cross Country Championships for 2021.

From the Under 14s to the Opens, this is one of the largest teams selected by Queensland for a championship like this.

As it stands, the championship has currently been postponed and new dates are yet to be confirmed. Everyone who has been selected will have registration and uniform links emailed to them once details of the new championship dates have been made available. 

Click here to view the full team

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Des Johnston steps down as QLD Athletics President

 

At the 2020 Queensland Athletics Annual General Meeting, long standing President, Des Johnston announced he would be standing down from the role immediately after the AGM, he will remain on the Board as a Director until the end of his current term in 2022.

Des started as President of Queensland Athletics in February 2012 and had presided over a very successful period for the organisation.  In 2012 the membership of Queensland Athletics was at 4400, in 2020 the number is 14300. We have also seen significant increases in participation in Shield Meets and Championships. QA is in a sound finical position and leads the country in the Recreational Running space with the innovative Qrun program. Significantly, the once fractured relationship with Athletics North Queensland has now become a partnership based on trust and common goals for our sport. Always approachable Des could be seen on the track officiating most weekends in the summer and at Cross Country during the winter.

“It’s been a great honour to work with this Board to improve athletics in Queensland Des said, the Board have been very dedicated and a great support, I believe that QA is in many ways now the leading State body in Australia, after nearly 10 years it’s time to pass the baton on and spend a bit more time with my family.”

On behalf of the board and all the Members I thank Des for his sound leadership over the past nine and a half years.

The Board of Queensland Athletics announced Yvonne Papadimos as the new President starting on the 11 June 2021. Yvonne in one of the most respected athletics administrators in the country. Currently the Executive Director of Oceania Athletics, Yvonne was one of the founders of Athletics North Queensland and President of that organisation for 23 years. Her diverse roles give her extensive experience from the grass roots to the international level. Yvonne is a regular official and volunteer at events in both the south and north of Queensland.

On behalf of the Board and the Members, I welcome Yvonne to the position of President of Queensland Athletics.

Yvonne said “It's difficult to put into a few sentences the impact that Des Johnson has had on sport over the past 10 years. Des fell into the role of President of Queensland athletics, when our dear friend Reg Brandis passed away in early 2012. We went from being a state divided to an organisation that Finally sat together at the one table and, to be honest, it could’ve gone all wrong.”

“But with Des' leadership we were able to work together to ensure that we had a stable and strong association that put athletes front and centre. Des, on behalf of the board, the staff, the clubs and again most importantly the athletes here in Queensland, thank you for your service to our sport... you are gentlemen and a scholar, and we look forward to continuing to work with you as a member of the QA board through to your retirement in 2022.”

 

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