A spectacular end to Jaylah Hancock-Cameron’s 800m athletics season, placed her second fastest in the NSW open & para championships held Saturday night at Sydney Olympic Park. Jaylah's mum and No.#1 fan, Leanne Hancock, said of the race " This is a super impressive result, considering Jaylah's main focus has been the 1500m leading into her Olympic youth campaign. Building into this championship, Jay only had three strong 800m races under her belt. In athletic terms, she would not be considered as race fit as her fellow competitors for the 800 event with her body not entirely used to the effect of a shorter faster race." Leanne passionately described the race "Starting along side world junior silver medalist, it was sure to be a race to remember. Straight off the gun the pace was on, Carly Thomas stamping her dominance in the lead, Jaylah flying up and tucking in behind her at the 100 m cut in point. That is where the athletes merge from their individual lanes and form a pack, where, as in the 1500m, it can get nasty." "Jaylah rode off the front runner until the Bell lap and then challenged to come up on the shoulder of Carly, a strong 400m runner, on the back straight. Carly appeared composed but I’m sure she was aware that Jaylah was with her all the way." "It was a race to the finish with not much separating first, second and third. Just inches from the line, Jay was being challenged for her second place position, she could feel a runner behind breathing down her neck. "Jaylah went for her change of pace to get her to the line, but because she was lactic and had no knee lift"
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"In the photo it appears she throws herself to the line, but in actual fact her toe dug in and caused her to fall across the line. She landed heavily, tucked and rolled, photo finishing, but resulting in second place." Leanne reports that Jaylah was down and out for a bit after the finish "which is always a concern for a parent looking on". Third place-getter Lora Storey rushed too Jaylah’s side, making sure she was OK though a little battered n bruised, with a little of Homebush track burned into her shoulder, a graze on her face and a bruised knee to regain her feet and be assisted off track by her fellow competitor. "Absolutely beautiful sportsmanship, backed up by a message today, making sure our girl was ok 👌👌 Thank you Lora, congratulations too you, Carly and Jaylah for a super impressive fight to the end." Leanne added.
"A shout out to Pro Compression socks, who kindly forwarded a couple of pairs onto Jaylah during the week to road test in this weekends championships, they helped launch her too the finish line, and proved to stand up to the test👌👌" "Also a shout out to Fiona Harrison who sponsored Jaylah a pair of new Spikes “😂which tripped her up on the finish line” Concluding her report of the event Leanne said " With the 800 m done and dusted there are two more 1500m races, one in Queensland in two weeks, and her final run for the Athletics season at Australian championships,the first week of April held in Homebush competing in the open women’s.
