Ella Batten picks up bronze at All Schools Athletics Championships as Geraldton puts in strong showing

Four of the Mid West Academy of Sports’ best young talents made a trip to Perth last weekend for the Australian All Schools Athletic Championships, with hurdler Ella Batten clinching a podium finish. The event, which brought more than 1200 of the top athletes from across Australia to Perth, ran from December 8 to 10. Geraldton had four track and field athletes competing across the event as coach Gary Clark said they ended with up-and-down results. “There were mixed results for local athletes, with some outstanding performances and some unfortunate mishaps during races” he said. Samaria Friesen competed in the under-18s division in 2km steeplechase on Saturday, finishing fourth. The under-17s 2km steeplechase saw Christi Bestry competing while suffering from patella tendinitis, which made it difficult to get through the 18 barriers and five water jumps. “Although well outside her PB, it was a great effort given the pain (Bestry) endured throughout the 2km journey,” Clark said. The medal favourite coming into the under-18 400m hurdles was State champion Neveah Hill, but she faced a setback in the race when she clipped the second hurdle with her trail. The clip caused her to crash into the third hurdle after losing her stride, Hill however managed to get back up and finish fourth with a time of 64 sec. “The mishap down the back straight at the third hurdle cost her a certain silver medal,” Clark said. Ella Batten grabbed a podium finish in the under-18s 100m hurdles, finishing in a time of 15.18 for a bronze medal in the tightly contested ending. She managed to beat the WA State champion and was just 0.02sec. short of a second-place finish for the heptathlon athlete. Batten also finished fifth in the high jump with a leap of 1.60m. “This was an outstanding result for Batten ... her hurdling has improved remarkably over the last 12 months,” Clark said. “This results was another PB and will hold her in good stead for the State heptathlon championships in March and the national championships in April.” All the athletes are now looking ahead and starting preparations for the State and national track and field titles in Perth and Adelaide in early 2024.