Australia’s fastest junior Athlete, in 19 years, Jaylah Hancock-Cameron with a time of 4:12:4, 6th fastest ever over all for a female Australian u/20 , just missing the N.S.W State record!
Photo supplied.
Jaylah's #1 supporter (her mum Leanne) told The Beagle "A massive pb, from her seasons best of 4.17 and her pb of 4.16.04 set in 2019.
"Jaylah' secured her number one status for Australia in the 1500, and number two in the 800m the first week racing on the 5th of June, at the Oceania invitational held on the Gold Coast. This was a substitute meet for the junior Australian team who were selected to compete in Kenya for world junior’s which was canceled due to COVID and terrorism."
Leanne said "Jaylah’s Australian campaign started with her 800m on the first Saturday (June 5th) as a part of the world junior team, in what was expected to be a fast first 400m leading into the race.
"Jaylah was intending to go through in 59 seconds but soon realised she was running wide in lane 7 at the cut across finding herself in second position was reduced to a jog. She knew the race wasn’t going to go to plan and that it was a tactical race, instead going through in a 65secs thereby refusing to take the lead for the other athletes to ride off her, which has been all to familiar for her throughout her running career. Instead she rode off the hip of Morgan Mitchell who was going for an Olympic qualifier. On the Bell lap Morgan made a move at the 150m mark, opening space on the inside for Jaylah to kick down and lay on the pace.
"Defending Australian champ Matilda Ryan was on the outside working double time, shocked at the improvement in Jaylah's speed and though taking out the win with Jaylah dipping over the line in second, just ahead of Morgan".
"It was an exciting finish to what was expected to be a race laid on with pace from the start, a challenge Jaylah accepted. This race was to be the preparation for her upcoming 1500m race the following week, and her results got us all excited."
"Five days out from the 1500m event, Jaylah put in an impressive training session, with Andae, her coach more than satisfied, convinced that Jaylah was in PB shape". "The 800m the previous Saturday was a clear indicator of the form Jaylah was in. We were privileged to know, beforehand how this race was going to be run. It all depending on the anxious go ahead that two athletes from Melbourne, already in quarantine in N.S.W when the lockdown occurred, were permitted to enter Queensland. "The race was specifically put on for them, giving both a chance to run a qualifying time for the Olympics. Jaylah was lucky enough to be included, along with her other junior team mates. Jaylah was fortunate to have the coach of Abbey Caldwell who was going for the qualifier, in touch with her own coach Andae, enlightening her to the splits that the race was going to be run at in order to achieve the qualifier for his athlete and a PB for Jaylah. "The two coaches were working together achieving the best outcome for both their athletes, a rarity in the sport of running. The result heavily relying on the Pacer who was selected to correctly run the splits, but unfortunately was unsuccessful." "The first 400 was on target, running a 105, the second 400 was the crucial part of the race wanting the pacer to go through the 800m in a 2.11 ahead of the girls in 2.12 position, a 2.15 was the best the pacer could do, which is the time jay would ordinarily do in a 1500, so there was no advantage having the race paced. So it was left up to the girls to make up for the lost time through the middle part of the race, which they did. "Abbey missed the qualifier but ran an absolute respectful time of 4.09.22 ahead of Jaylah in a Pb of 4.12.42. "Tears hugs and celebrations trackside, a long awaited time that pushed her up from 12th in the world rankings to 4th, just missing 3rd place who has a time of 4.12.2 "Our girl is knocking on the door of success for her senior years.
Above: Jaylah Hancock-Cameron with coach Andea Kalemusic. Photo supplied
The Australian Cross country season now begins for Jaylah which is her endurance base for next track season where she will be contesting the qualifying time for the Commonwealth Games, a goal set in order to keep the momentum flowing.
Already successfully winning her first race at Ramsgate, her next is tackling the tough 6km course at Willandra for N.S.W. State in two weeks time with the aim to make Nationals to be held in Adelaide in August.
