ATHLETICS NT MASTERS REPORT ON 2016 AMA CHAMPIONSHIPS
SA Athletics Stadium - Adelaide S.A.
Pre Championship
Participation in the 2016 NT Athletics Masters Team was promoted through the Masters Newsletter email list which includes all AMA registered Athletics NT members, club contacts and word of mouth. Twenty two competitors registered with our first 30 – 34 y.o. athletes amongst the list and our first Palmerston Athletics Club member, Luke Mayo. Where normally we have a strong distance running team, this year our strength was in race walking.
Training
Training was an individual responsibility complimented by Ian Heazlewood’s sessions on a Monday and Wednesday in Darwin, Debbie Page’s walking program in the Alice, Roger Chin’s support for Rural and jumps coaching sessions, Nicole Simmons’ leadership in Katherine, Wednesday runs with DRW, throws and jumps with MAD frogs and Team Pegasus distance training with Klaus Roth.
Athlete Registration and Travel
Athlete registration and travel were individual responsibilities. The online process provided by the SA Masters event management was easy. Cheaper travel was available when booking early.
Accommodation
No team venue was suggested this year. Some team members stayed with family or friends, others in hotels and backpacker lodges in nearby Adelaide city. All athletes made own booking.
Uniforms
Darwin athletes requiring a uniform purchased directly through the Cricket and Football Shop at Winnellie, and out-of-Darwin athletes went through the Athletics NT office.
The NT Team
NAME / Club / Age divisionSteve McGugan / Ath. NT / Manager
John Bowden / Ath. NT / Manager
Joshua Cameron / DRW / 35
Dylan Campbell / MAD / 35
Roger Chin / RAC / 55
Jenny Crocker / MAD / 30
Ian Heazlewood / DAC / 65
Colin Heywood / MAD / 60
Blaise Kerehoma / MAD / 30
Lynne Logan / RAC / 50
Luke Mayo / PAC / 35
Beth Morrison / KAC / 55
Debbie Page / ASP / 55
Damian Ralph / MAD / 35
Leonie Richards / RAC / 50
Ron Richards / RAC / 75
Maggie Roberts / MAD / 75
Mike Roberts / MAD / 65
Dorian Rondot / MAD / 30
Alea Rose / MAD / 30
Jon Schatz / DAC / 40
Nicole Simmonds / KAC / 35
Debbie Summers / ASP / 50
Gail Tuxworth / ASP / withdraw
Results
Our team won 45 medals, twelve gold. Many athletes broke or created NT records and produced age class PB performances. A full list of results is posted below.
From a team manager’s perspective our stand out was Mike Roberts in M65 who competed in eleven events, six on the first day. Mike never won a medal but kept backing up and having a go. He is our most improved athlete, is now breaking NT records and is now recording an 82% age grade performance in the 60m. A close second in the domain of participation was Nicole Simmons who competed in ten events as per usual and won six medals. Her herculean effort came on day 4 with both the Throws Pentathlon and Outdoor Pentathlon.
Our best performer on age graded results was Colin Heywood with high 80%’s in all walks and three gold medals. Colin also had “a crack” at several throws, the steeple chase and the Outdoor Pentathlon which for a world class walker is quite extraordinary. His comment on how he learned from other athletes in these events and the joy in experiencing new body movement requirements to perform these events is, what we believe, what marks masters athletics as a sport with a difference.
Maggie Roberts with three gold a silver and bronze was our second highest medal winner, and Jon Schatz was again outstanding winning the M40 High Jump with a leap of 1.75m and also the highly competitive Javelin event.
Our neophytes (newbies) this year, both old and young were sensational. Josh Cameron, Dylan Campbell, Jenny Crocker, Blaise Kerehoma, Luke Mayo, Beth Morrison, Debbie Page, Debbie Summers, Damian Ralph, Leonie Roberts, Ron Roberts, Dorian Rondot and Alea Rose all won medals and this represented an age range of 30 to 75.
Debbie Page recorded low 80% age graded performances in her walks and placed amongst world class athletes.
Disappointment for Roger Chin who was on target for an Australian record in the 60. Roger was injured in the week prior and exacerbated that injury in his first event the LJ.
Ian Heazlewood and Lyn Logan recorded credible results in highly competitive events and age groups. Lyn as a neophyte was a wonderful team member and inspiration. Ian is renowned in masters athletics having been a multi medal winner in his early days with NSW, but for me he is now a legend for the number of events he contests on the trail back from injury recovery, for the work he does in coaching and inspiring so many in our team who as neophytes won medals and the fact he is still setting NT records. Ian is responsible for our master’s team motto: “If you never have a go then you’ll never ever know.”
Event Code: SP=Shot Put, Jav= Javelin, Disc=Discus, HT=Hammer Throw, TP=Throws Pentathlon, W=Walks, SC=Steeple Chase, Pent=Pentathlon, RW= Road walk, XC=Cross Country, LJ=long Jump, HJ=High Jump, TJ=Triple jump.
Full Results
Athlete / Age / Event / Place / Performance / NT RecordJosh Cameron / 35 / 800 / 3 / 2:13.36
1500 / 4 / 4:31.39
5000 / 3 / 17:18.30
Dylan Campbell / 35 / 60 / 3 / 8.54
100 / 3 / 13.64
LJ / 1 / 4.89
Roger Chin / 55 / LJ / 2 / 2.97
Jenny Crocker / 30 / 200 / 2 / 34.87
HJ / 2 / 1.35
TJ / 1 / 8.05 / Created
Pent. / 4 / 1177
Ian Heazlewood / 60 / HT / 12 / 21.61
SP / 4 / 10.73 / Broken
Jav / 7 / 24.64
Disc / 10 / 28.92
TP / 9 / 2036 / Created
Colin Heywood / 60 / 1500 W / 1 / 7:24.16
5000 W / 1 / 25:50.10
2000 SC / 7 / 8:53.35
Jav / 9 / 21.41
10K RW / 1 / 53:02.00 / Broken
Pent. / 4 / 1913 / Created
Blaise Kerehoma / 30 / 60 / 2 / 9.14
100 / 2 / 14.49
LJ / 2 / 4.19
200 / 1 / 31.39
Lynne Logan / 50 / 800 / 4 / 3:31.8
1500 / 4 / 6:33.49
8K XC / 5 / 44:37.00
Luke Mayo / 35 / 60 / 2 / 8.52
100 / 2 / 13.50
Beth Morrison / 55 / HT / 6 / 21.10
SP / 3 / 7.27
Jav / 5 / 14.43
Disc / 6 / 16.31
TP / 7 / 2036 / Created
Debbie Page / 55 / 1500 W / 2 / 7:59.58 / Broken
5000 W / 3 / 28:37.86 / Broken
10K RW / 3 / 59:25.00 / Broken
Damian Ralph / 35 / Jav / 3 / 36.66
Leonie Richards / 50 / 60 / 7 / 9.66
SP / 6 / 9.60 / Broken
LJ / 3 / 3.96 / Broken
HJ / 1 / 1.25 / Broken
Jav / 7 / 24.95 / Broken
Pent. / 2 / 2799 / Created
Ron Richards / 75 / 60 / 3 / 11.03 / Created
100 / 5 / 18.62 / Created
HT / 5 / 23.26 / Created
SP / 6 / 7.80 / Created
TP / 3 / 2201 / Created
Maggie Roberts / 75 / SP / 2 / 5.66 / Broken
HT / 1 / 13.40
Disc / 1 / 12.11
Jav / 3 / 8.14
TP / 1 / 2087 / Created
Mike Roberts / 65 / 60 / 8 / 9.59 / Broken
1500 W / 4 / 12:36.14 / Created
100 / 6 / 15.96 / Created
LJ / 5 / 3.43 / Created
SP / 6 / 7.70 / Broken
HT / 6 / 19.79 / Broken
5000 W / 4 / 41:24.34
HJ / 6 / 1.11 / Created
Disc / 8 / 23.38 / Broken
10K RW / 4 / 80:45.00 / Created
TP / 5 / 2103 / Created
Dorian Rondot / 30 / 60 / 3 / 8.09
Alea Rose / 30 / 60 / 3 / 9.59
100 / 3 / 15.89
Jon Schatz / 40 / HJ / 1 / 1.75 / Broken
Jav / 1 / 47.43
Nicole Simmonds / 35 / 60 / 5 / 10.01
1500 W / 1 / 11:37.27
SP / 4 / 8.46
HT / 6 / 23.36
Disc / 4 / 26.30
Jav / 3 / 16.43
HJ / 2 / 1.10
TJ / 2 / 6.65
TP / 5 / 1840
Pent. / 2 / 1022
Debbie Summers / 50 / 1500 W / 3 / 8:36.74 / Created
5000 W / 3 / 30:45.84 / Created
10K RW / 3 / 69:19.00 / Created
Full results can be found at: http://www.samastersathletics.org.au/nationals2016/results.html
NT records –
The 2016 team broke 15 records NT records and established 18 more. Colin Heywood was top of the list with 3 new NT records to his name. A full list of NT masters records can view on the home page of Ath.NT website by scrolling to the bottom.
Athletes / Coaches Forum
Unfortunately no NT athlete was able to make the forum this year but reports record a focus on the World Championship and questions athletes had surrounding that event.
Athletics NT Support
Thanks again to Athletics NT for their funding support of team members being a share of $2000.
Media
ABC Grandstand gave team pre and post event publicity. Pre event information was sent to NT News but failed to make print.
Team Dinner - Awards Dinner
Sixteen athletes attended the team dinner at South Terrace “Fasta Pasta” and a good carb meal and fun was had by all.
We were also fortunate to have three NT athletes attend the Awards Dinner though no NT athlete was nominated for an award. Blaise Kerehoma accepted the Championship baton on behalf of NT for the 2017 event.
2017 AMA National Championship promotion
We took a pop up display and pamphlets that were first shown at the AMA Board meeting and then strategically placed for the attention of athletes over the Championship. There was a great response with lots of positive feedback and indication of attendance in 2017.
Photos
Blaise Kerehoma has provided a wonderful collage of photos on her Facebook page and we will also get that posted on NT athletics Facebook page. Full coverage of event photos can also be viewed at: http://www.samastersathletics.org.au/nationals2016/results.html
Summary
The 2016 Adelaide AMA Championship recorded the largest registration to date with 690 participants thus beating the previous best of Sydney 2015.
We also had our biggest NT team thanks to the outstanding recruiting work of Ian Heazlewood in Darwin and Debbie Page in Alice Springs.
Was great to have a range of ages, the comradery was amazing, and it was so good to see young and old interact and support.
Most participating athletes have indicated a desire to go to the worlds in Perth in October/November, and also indicated their commitment to get three more athletes each to compete in Darwin 2017.
Observations from 2016 to assist with Darwin 2017 are attached.
In concluding we thank and congratulate all members of the NT Masters Athletics team for well and truly continuing the marvellous traditions of the past four years of NT participation in AMA Championships. (Effort, Comradery, Success)
Steve McGugan John Bowden
0404403656 0447717556
Observations for 2017
*Imperative that we have suitable seating for up to 1000 people available.
*Change rooms and toilets must be reviewed or upgraded
*Adelaide had two Pole Vault stands – may need stagger or combine events
*Adelaide were short of officials at times!
*Relays were changed from day 4 to day 3
*Have already had request to move 400m hurdles to day 1
* Announcer has offered to come and help at no expense – Elaine MacFarlane 0458094201 (formerly at teacher at Katherine)
*Officials were targeted with info handout
*Kings Sports 97637444 have offered to be equipment provider and offering $1000 sponsorship.
*Approach photography – DCC, DHS, other
*Require website up and running ASAP
* We need to target 200 athletes from the NT
*Prominent promotion and marketing of $10 registration for registered athletes from other sports is required
*Target Asia through Business Affairs and Asian connections
*Develop local officials
*Engage all NT clubs for officials, helpers and participants
* Early engagement with George White (AMA Competitions Director) required
*Early targeting of Sponsors – overall and individual events
*Prominent marketing of training venues and times
*Prominent marketing of events, including Worlds in Perth, Ath NT events – monthly meets, Masters Specific, NT Championships.
* Need to have an engraver on site (same one as Adelaide?) working at ~$5 per medal
* Need massage and Sports Medicine
*Need to use 2016 NT Champs as test event.
* Kip Hobson 0414 706 482 has been approach for possible development seminar – approach the NTIS for assistance.
* Need weighted throws to use in events in NT this year.
* Promote NT Championship and Alice Springs Masters as a practise event for Perth and 2017 AMA Champs.
* Second discus needs to be from netted circle