It’s been awhile coming, but our Open men certainly shone through for the club at the recent State Open and U23 Championships held at Homebush. I cannot remember any other occasion that the Open men have gained top placings in both the 100m and 200mm. IBS men have not brought back a major placing in State sprints in the Open since the Troy Davies era.
Our male sprinters proved their wins and placings in the Country 100m and 200ms was no fluke and they backed this performance up with some of the best male sprinting the club has seen for some time. Lachlan Parry has been superb throughout the weekend with a solid 100m to take out 4th in the final in a very good time of 10.73. He was not content with the 100m placing and ran one of his best races in the 200m to take out the silver medal, although he finished 3rd across the line. Lachlan’s placing was moved to 2nd because the Victorian sprinter finishing 1st was not eligible to take the title. What a fabulous performance by this young man and he will now head to the National Championships in both events. His time of 21.82 was excellent. Running well also was club mate Kyle Grubnic who took out 6th in the 100m final in a solid time of 10.78 and he too backed this up by making the final of the 200m and coming in 5th overall and the 4th NSW athlete in 21.92 showing the closeness of the event.
Not to be left out, Chris Devery just missed the final of the 100m, but made up for it when he ran 22.37 in the 200m to be placed into the B final. Devery ran superb to take out the B final recording a time of 22.38 - what an achievement by our male sprinters.
But Connor Dymond wasn’t going to allow the “older sprinters” to take all the accolades. Being the youngest in the final of the men’s Open 110m hurdles, Dymond is on a move and his progression into the Open final was a great result. He finished an excellent 6th in the final in a time of 15.16, after he ran a creditable 11.54 in his heat of the open 100m.
It has been a long time since we have seen our men perform to such a standard in Open State sprint finals, and they have done the club and themselves proud, along with Coach Peter Lawler.
Have to feel for female sprinter Stephanie Power. After running a good heat in the Open women’s 100m recording 12.39, Power eased off in the last 20m feeling a slight groin strain. She chose to withdraw from the rest of the competition feeling if she went on any further she may have jeopardised her chances of contesting the nationals in which she has qualified for both the 100m and 200m.
What a weekend this has been for our Open athletes. It is now onto our youth who will contest their State Championships this coming weekend.
Congratulations to our Open athletes and good luck to our youth athletes.