Nine WAIS athletes selected for 2022 Oceania Athletics Championships

Tokyo Paralympic bronze medallist Sarah Edmiston headlines a strong WAIS contingent in the Australian Team for the 2022 Oceania Championships in Mackay, Queensland, 7-11 June.

Edmiston in the F44 discus, as she prepares for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Fellow Tokyo Paralympians Rhiannon Clarke and Ella Pardy lining up in the T38 100m. Rising star Jackson Hamilton in the F13 javelin.

“The Oceania Championships will provide a strong competition environment and one that I will be able to get feedback on how my throwing preparations are going,” Edmiston said.

“The experience of travelling to a high level competition and being part of a team environment in the lead up to the Commonwealth Games will also be really key to my preparation.”

In the open events, Nina Kennedy, Kurtis Marschall and Angus Armstrong make up half the pole vault athletes named, while Declan Tingay will compete in the 5km and 10km race walk.

Taylah Cruttenden will continue her preparation for the Under 20 World Championships in the 100 and 4x100m.

Athletics Australia General Manager, Andrew Faichney said “An Area Championships is an important competition for any athlete and to be Oceania Champion is great recognition. The Oceania Athletics Championships are also the highest level competition to score world ranking points in our Area. As such, it’s an extremely important competition for our athletes, and as such we have selected a very strong Australian team for the Area Championships.

“The ranking points accrued from these Championships carry over for two years, meaning that competition is set to be fiercer than ever in Mackay, as athletes look to be selected for the Australian team travelling to Oregon and begin their journey to Paris. It will also be a chance to impress selectors before the end of the Commonwealth Games qualifying period.”