The IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali (COL) are calling for sprint sensation Jack Hale (Tas, 200m), race walker Clara Smith (Qld, 5000m walk), formidable thrower Samantha Peace (NSW, discus) and middle distance charge Annabel McDermott (NSW, 3000m) after they won GOLD in their respective events on day two of competition at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Sydney.

Taking to the start line in the boy’s under 18 200m, Hale set aside the pre-race pressure that comes with being the fastest junior in the country to take line honours from an equally impressive Brandon Herrigan (Qld, second, 21.60) in a time of 21.50 (w: -1.5).

“The first 120 felt really good, but when I came into the last 80 my legs were just gone. I had to just muscle through it because I knew that if I came through for the win that I’d be pretty much on the plane to Colombia, it was on the back of my mind the whole race,” Hale said.

“I’ve had about a week of real training for Nationals, but I can’t say that I was underdone because I was racing plenty earlier on this season. I’ll be honest and say that I was a little bit worried coming out here today, afraid of just dying, so it’s great to come away with this result.”

Read the full story on the Athletics Australia website