With many following the qualification progress of Luke, Sam & Peter in quite a bit of detail, most probably already know that they will represent Australia at the London World Championships in the 1500m, 5000m & 800m respectively.
But, let’s stop for a moment….This is a HUGE achievement.
The standards got tighter from Rio and the lads were able to back-up so magnificently to earn another Australian singlet.
A big congratulations to their coaches Nic Bideau and Justin Rinaldi who have done a power of work to get them to this point.
Let’s all enjoy watching their progress, as this is a treat for all of SKAAC to enjoy.
Go fast lads – on to London – Go SKAAC.

Sam McEntee has smashed his own 3000m Club Record and PB in the London Grand Prix meet running 7:41.03. Racing in a loaded field containing Mo Farah Sam has showed that the training completed since qualifying for the 5000m at the upcoming London World Championships has gone VERY well. In a tight race where Sam was only 3.5 seconds from 3rd place, it shows how close track distance running is at present.

Joseph Deng has been having a great old time in Europe, this time smashing his 800m PB set half-a-week ago to run 1:46.51 to be the 3rd Fastest U20 Australian, and slip inside the Top 6 Under 20 times in the world this year. Joseph’s next run will be in Ninove alongside fellow SKAAC members, Peter Bol, Brad Mathas and Steve Knuckey (who had his best run for the European Summer at the British Milers Club meet in Loughborough UK).

Adam Pyke has been racing in brilliant form whilst in Europe preparing for the 1500m at the World University Games in August. Racing on Sunday night in the Brussels Grand Prix of Athletics, Adam was right in the race based on times against a strong field containing Rio Olympic 1500m medallist Nick Willis, going through at the bell in 2:39.1, Adam was clipped from behind with 300m to go, cruelling his chance at a possible PB run. Thankfully, Adam was able to pick himself up to cross the line with some grazes and has pulled up OK. Adam faces the starter in Italy in Lignano on Wednesday night, then again on Sunday in Padova.

SKAAC currently boast 5-out-of-the-top-6 Australian 800m times for 2017, with still plenty of big races to come. Don’t believe me, well see below!!

Go SKAAC

Amazing symmetry thrown up by Joseph Deng in a sensational 800m PB run in Szekesfehervar Hungary on 3 July in stopping the clock at 1:47.06. A time run twice by Simon Lewin (Finland in again in Australia) and for many many years the SKAAC Club Record. Joseph’s race contained no less than the world record holder David Rudisha!!

Joseph has backed up a super run on the weekend as pacemaker (400m of 800m) for Peter Bol’s successful London World Championships qualifying time and new PB of 1:45.21.

Joseph now finds himself sitting alongside SKAAC Legend and Life Member Simon Lewin and Atlanta Olympian Paul Cleary in on the Australian All-Time list.

An amazing week for Joseph, Peter, JR and the SKAAC Community.

Keep up the good work – all at SKAAC are right behind all of our athletes that are overseas at the moment, doing so well.

Go SKAAC.

Adam Pyke made it 2-from-2 with a strong win in 1500m A-race the British Milers Club Meet in 3:42.44 held in Watford UK.

Luke Mathews has claimed his 3rd club record in the month of June with a new mark set over 1000m in a sensational meet in Ostrava CZE, stopping the clock at 2:19.57. Must have been a good night of racing in Ostrava with Wade Van Niekirk breaking the 300m World Record!!

All at SKAAC are delighted to hear that Luke Mathews has run a qualifying time for the 1,500m for the London World Championships in August. Luke stopped the clock in 3:35.60, which was a PB for Luke and a new SKAAC Open Club Record.

We all wish Luke the best for the remaining lead-up races as he orients himself towards the World Champs.

Well done Luke !!

Luke Mathews has smashed his own mile club record in running 3:54.53 to be 6th fastest in the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon USA on Saturday 27th May USA time. The performance has also shaken up the Australian All-time rankings catapulting, Luke to 8th fastest Australian ever. The run hopefully is a springboard into the qualification races coming up on Luke’s road to the London World Championships.
To think that less than 12 months ago, no-one in 72 years had broken 4 minutes for the mile, now the club record stands at 3:54.53!!
All records & ranking have been updated to reflect this huge effort.
Well done Luke

With all the ability and results on the board to indicate he should be receiving some central funding, Adam Pyke sadly has to do it the hard way.
In the next few months, Adam has a series of races in Europe before representing Australia at the World University Games in Taiwan over 1500m.

Adam leaves for Europe on June 2nd, going via Leonora. His first confirmed race will be in Leiden, NED on the 17th June. His other races haven’t been confirmed yet but SKAAC will be sure to let everyone know the series of races once they are 100% confirmed.

Adam’s expenses for the next three months are as follows:
European Racing Campaign: Approx. $14000
Uni Games Team Levy: $4000

This is now our chance to support Adam to pay his own way to represent himself, his family, his country and our great club in some of the big European races and then in the Green & Gold at the Uni Games.

Adam has set up a funding mechanism (via the Australian Sports Foundation) that allows every dollar that you pledge to be treated as personally tax deductible to you the donor.

Please take the time to assist a fellow SKAAC’er get on the world stage to strut his stuff.

Please use the link below to make a donation, however large or small, every cent counts.

www.asf.org.au/athletes/adam-pyke/

All at SKAAC wish Adam all the best for this fundraising campaign and also for his European racing season.

Plenty of SKAAC & past SKC students in action in Stawell over the Easter weekend.

Congratulations to Jack Anderson (SKC Captain of Athletics in 2015) who won the backmarkers 400m to earn his first Stawell sash off 26m if 45.58. Interesting to note that the runner up, Paul Tancredi is also a SKC Old Collegian.

Also fantastic to see Michael Romanin make the Gift Final, finishing 5th in 12.41 off 4.75m (which was televised on National television) after a slashing Semi win in 12.21. Didn’t know that we was so into souvlaki’s – but Peter Donaghan and Jason Richardson sure let us know about this little “not so” secret 🙂

Joel Bee, who has had a fantastic pro season ran in Backmarkers invitational finishing 7th in 12.89.

Shaun Hargreaves won his heat in the Jack Donaldson 200m and narrowly missed out in making the final after a very close semi.

Alex Rowe, off scratch in the Hedeman Invitational mile ran 4:06 to be right in the mix finishing in 7th place – and probably one of his best runs given he went around nearly the whole field!!

Jeremy Weeks was also in action in the Mile (14th in Backmarkers 4:10.68) & 800 (3rd in his Heat in 1:54.58) as was Jack Anderson’s brother Sam in the Restricted mile, finishing 4th in 4:14.9 and also 15th in the Backmarkers Mile in 4:11.59

In a stunning Australian National Championships for SKAAC where 2 Gold and 3 Bronze medals were claimed, I think it is safe to claim this as our best result ever.

Gold

Luke Mathews stunning win in the Open 800m (1:46.71) in a race containing no less than 3 SKAAC competitors, was a war of attrition, with early leader Peter Bol, joined by Luke at the top of the straight for an epic battle with Josh Ralph of NSW. with 50m to go, Ralph had taken the lead and title looked his, until Luke unleashed a withering finish and with an excellent lung at the line had defended his title from 2015/2016 in fine style in a crack field. Luke’s win generating a level of media interest, sadly rarely seen, with a feature article in the Sunday Herald Sun. He now heads to the Jamieson at Scotch this Saturday and then to the US to continue the charge towards World Championships qualifiers for both 800m & 1500m.

Conor Fry was a sensational winner of the Under 20 400m Hurdles in 52.91, the first time a SKAAC athlete had dipped below 53 sec and in doing so breaking the Open Club record that had stood for 55 years. For those present, to witness the run, will carry the memory for many many years.

Bronze

Tristan Day’s season ended on a high with his first individual track national medal with Bronze in the Under 17 3000m (9:00.03). Tristan has taken his running to stunning heights in the last 24 months and this result is just rewards for his dedication, persisteance and effort both on and off the track to make the improvements necessary for success at National level.

Dylan Johnson peaked at exactly the right time for nationals with PB’s and Open Club records in both qualifying and the Final in Sydney. His leap of 15.79m (+1.2) in the final , good enough for Bronze and also setting the new SKAAC Open Club Record.

Alex Rowe has continued an amazing record finishing in the Top 3 of the National 800m Final for 6 seasons in a row. His Bronze this season added to 4 Silvers and 1 Gold in 2012-13.

To have 26 athletes qualified to represent themselves, their state and importantly the mighty SKAAC is an achievement that everyone can be justifiably proud of. To win 5 medals is icing on the cake.

Plenty of athletes made their national debuts and others have made their first national final, but the SKAAC presence in Sydney created a unique atmosphere that allowed everyone to perform at their best. Bring on 2017/2018.

 

The full list of results for SKAAC athletes can be seen below:-

Open

Dylan Johnson Triple Jump Qual 15.75m, Final 3rd 15.79 (+1.2)

Adam Pyke 1500m Heat 2nd 3:45.54 and Final 4th 3:53.74

Steve Knuckey 800m Heat 4th 1:50.22

Alex Rowe 800m Heat 1st 1:49.99 and Final 3rd 1:47.29

Peter Bol 800m Heat 2nd 1:50.24 and Final 8th 1:49.69

Luke Mathews 800m Heat 1st 1:49.37 and Final 1st 1:46.71

Michael Romanin 200m Heat 3rd 21.65 -0.8

Deluca Lawson-Matthew 400m Heat 5th 49.38 and Semi 8th 49.20

Jason Kozica 10000m Walk 9th 45:39.56

Kayla de Bondt 1500m Heat 4th 4:27.41 and Final 9th 4:33.22

Under 20

Conor Fry 400m Hurdles Heat 1st 53.39 and Final 1st 52.91

Under 18

Phil Borg 200m Heat 5th 22.38s, 400m Heat 4th 50.63s

Will Lewis 800m Heat 1:55. 1500m Heat 7th 4:01.61 and Final 11th 4:01.45

Under 17

Massimo Acquaro 100m Heat 8th 11.43 +1.7 and 200m Heat 4th 22.94s -0.8

Josh Collins 3000m Final 17th 9:21.20

Tristan Day 3000m Final 3rd 9:00.03

Under 16

Thomas Scroggie 800m Heat 5th 2:03.07 and Final 8th 2:03.83. 2000m Steeplechase Final 9th 6:39.79

Isabelle Collins 3000m Final 18th 10:49.53

Under 15

Luca Di Conza 3000m Final 10th 9:49.82

Matthew Kim 200m Hurdles Heat 3rd 30.27 +0.1 and Final 4th 29.37s

Daniel Doyle 100m Heat 5th 11.91s and 200m Heat 5th 24.22s +0.0

Under 14

Jett-Paris Bedelis Pole Vault 4th 1.80m

Lauren McGarry Hammer 5th 32.31 and Shot Put 14th 9.30m

In oppressive conditions at Homebush Stadium for distance running, Tristan Day has capped a super season with his first individual National track medal, finishing in 3rd place in the Under 17 3000m in 9:00.03.

Josh Collins, also enjoying a stellar season finished in 17th spot in 9:21.20.

SKC student Matthew Hussey (and Western Athletics member) won the race in a super impressive 8:50.57.

Well done lads.