It was an extremely successful outing for the Sydney University Athletics Club (SUAC) at the 2015 NSW Relay State Championships held at Blacktown International Sportspark over the weekend. The most notable performance went to the boys in the Open Men’s 4x100m Final who equalled the Australian club record for the event.
The club has dominated the event over the last few years and this year was no different. Josh Clarke, Jin Su Jung, Nick Hough and Jarrod Geddes won the race by clocking a 39.51 seconds, equalling the Australian club record previously set by Western Australia’s Curtin University in 1995. The run was also a meet record and NSW club record, as each of the Sydney runners set a personal best, all running sub 10.40 seconds times. It should also be noted that the Sydney Uni B team for the Men’s 4x100m relay came 4th in the race, speaking to the clubs depth in that event.
Unfortunately for the SUAC boys the conditions let them down with large puddles of water covering the track due to a heavy rainstorm not long before the start. One can only wonder what the team could have produced on a dry track on a hot day. Some experts claimed as quick as 39.2 which would have seen them win a medal at the World University Games.
Also worth noting, the SUAC team recorded the 3rd fastest time in history for a club team in the heat running 39.68. Interestingly the club now owns 5 of the top 10 club 4×100 times in Australian history. The boys will have another crack at a faster time in January at the NSW Club Championships.
The Sydney Uni Open High Jump women of Nicola McDermott, Rebecca Clark, Gen Cowie and Josie Nichol also broke the NSW State Club record. The girls totalled a massive combined score of 6.60m. The Athletics Club came home with 16 Gold’s, 2 Silvers and 6 Bronzes, taking the medal tally to a staggering 24 medals (14 for the women, 10 for the men).
SUSF congratulates all athletes that competed at Blacktown over the weekend.
Below are the Sydney Uni results from the meet:
GOLD
Men’s – 4x100m (Meet Record, NSW Club Record, Australian Club Record, B team finished 4th), 4x200m, 4x800m 120+, High jump, Long Jump
Women’s – High Jump (NSW Club Record), 4x200m 120+, 4x200m 200+, 4x400m, 4x400m 160+, 4x800m (B team finished 6th), 4x800m 120+, 4x1500m, 4x1500m Walk U18, 1600m Sprint Medley, Javelin
SILVER
Men’s – 4x800m, 4x1500m
BRONZE
Men’s – 4x400m, Discus, Shot Put
Women’s – 4x200m (B team finished 7th), 4x1500m Walk, Discus
