The 2017 National Australian All Schools Championships in Adelaide held last week saw Jaylah Hancock-Cameron take out the under 16’s Australian 800-metres and 1500-metres titles. Her Limitless Track teammate Asha Martin also shone by coming 6th in the country in the 3 km event with a HUGE PB in 10.06.4 which was a 7 second improvement on her PB and only 7 seconds from a medal.
Above: Jaylah (left) and Asha The accolades don’t come that easily with both Moruya High School girls absolutely committed to their training with three solid run sessions a week combined with mixed runs and strength sessions under a strength advisor. In order to find elite competition the two, along with the other members of the Limitless Track Team under the very attentive eye of coach Ande Kalemusic, travel to Sydney to compete as members of the elite Bankstown Sports Athletics Club . Usually up an back in one day returning home by 12 midnight or later the training and commitment spills over to include the tireless support of other team members, coaches and families. While Jaylah comes from a running and sporting background where she may well have chosen to pursue netball at a high level her training mate Asha comes surprisingly from a history of little running at all. This remarkable story has seen Asha come from no-where to become 6th in the country in her age division in just a year and a half under the guidance of coach Ande. Ande told the Beagle "Jaylah come to me with a 229 for the 800m and 5.30 for the 1500m. She now holds pbs of 208.4 and 428.01 and with Asha; she was well over 7 min for a 1500m and is now running 4.40 and a 10.06 for the 3000m" "They are such good friends as well as training partners and always turn up to training with a smile on their face. Both are such humble girls and I'm so proud to be their coach!"
“Both girls are totally committed in all areas of their training. They both attend the same high school and they both came through the ranks of competition during the year, firstly in Canberra, then CHS in Sydney and then the NSW All Schools in Homebush, to be the two selected to go to Adelaide” “Jaylah has been unbeaten this whole season and it was fantastic to see them in Adelaide, happy, unfazed and achieving PBs as well which is unusual in such serious races with such competition. “Jaylah’s 1500m run had a kick at the end which gave her a 0.2 second win – pushed to the limit while in the 800m she took control of the race from the start”
What is worth mentioning here is that her time of 208.4 is just 0.2 outside of the time required to qualify for consideration to attempt entry for the Junior Olympics team in Argentina next year.
Photo source: Limitless Track Team
The girls are home and looking forward to school holidays however their training will not stop. Taking only a few humble moments to reflect on what they have achieved both remain focussed on what the goal ahead is. Jaylah will be running in NSW State in February and then Athletics Australia in March in the 18 year old division in order to qualify for the for Youth Olympics Argentina where only seven girls and seven boys are selected. The World junior (under 20) qualifier sits at 206.7 so there is still good chance that with the careful planning and coaching that lays ahead Jaylah will give this a solid nudge.
Asha will now begin her very focused training towards the World Cross Country trials to be held in Canberra in January 2019.
Both girls are fast gaining Australia wide recognition and support.
