Six Armidale athletes will travel to Sydney next week to take on the nation’s best.
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Natasha Favotto, Stuart Geddes, Ella Heeney, Henry Sindel, Luke O’Donoghue and Travis Stahlhut will descend on Homebush for the Australian Junior Track and Field Championships.
The group of six is the most the Armidale Athletics Club has ever had represent it at the national titles and club coach Jay Stone couldn’t be more excited.
“We had four last year and that was the most we have ever had,” he said.
“To have six is incredible.
“The club is extremely strong at the moment.”
Stone was humble when talking to the Express, instead deflecting praise to the athletes themselves for the club’s growing success.
“I can lead horses to water, but they have to drink it themselves,” he said.
“They have been working extremely hard to get to where they are.”
Favotto will run in the under 18s 1500 metre and 3000 metre events, and also qualified for the 800 metres but pulled out of that event to concentrate on the other two.
“She demolished the Harris Park record in the 800 metre by five seconds recently, so maybe we should have stayed with that event too,” Stone said.
“I’m confident she will run well in both events.”
Geddes, who will run in the under 16s steeplechase and 3000 metres, is Armidale’s best chance of a medal according to Stone.
“I do think he’s our best chance,” Stone said.
“He won the state title in the steeplechase.”
New addition to the team Heeney will run in the under 16s 400 and 800 metre events. “She is in very good shape and she’s a seasoned performer,” Stone said.
Sindel will run in the under 15s 800 metres and has been flying around the Harris Park track of late, including a personal best in the same event on Wednesday night.
“Henry is in great shape as well,” Stone said.
“For him to run a PB on grass means he is running very well.”
O’Donoghue has also hit peak form at the right time.
He will run in the under 20s 200 metres at nationals, but he became just the fourth recorded person to run sub 11 seconds at Harris Park on Wednesday night.
“Luke ran the race of his life,” Stone said.
“He ran a 10.96, so he has great speed right now.”
Stahlhut will run in the under 20s 400 metres, but has been battling an injury of late. “He pulled up well after Wednesday night,” Stone said.
“He’s a really tough runner, so we will sharpen him up with some training over the next week.”
