Sport
28 April, 2026
Local athletes shine at national carnival
Local track and field superstars Naomi Henderson, Charlie Sullivan and Darcy Thatcher sparkled on the grandest stage of junior athletics, all producing spectacular performances under the bright lights of the Australian Athletics Junior Championships.
Held at the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre from Wednesday, April 15 to Monday, April 20, the annual championships gather the nation’s most promising athletes for six days of gripping competition.
Thatcher, Henderson and Sullivan booked their flights to the event thanks to their exceptional results this season, with Thatcher and Henderson participating in their first national championships.
Sprinting sensation Sullivan was the first local product to hit the track, with his men’s under 17 100 m heat one of the first track events on opening day.
Having earned a silver and bronze at the 2023 nationals in relay events, Sullivan looked to complete his outstanding medal-filled 2025/26 campaign with another strong performance at nationals.
While he was unable to advance past his heat, the teenager equalled his personal best with a breakneck time of 11.42.
Two days later, on Friday, April 17, Sullivan produced another solid performance in the men’s under 17 200 m heat, powering towards a time of 23.14.
Sullivan wasn’t the only local running like the wind on the national stage that Friday, as Thatcher readied for the women’s under 20 400 m final.
Having just become a 200 m and 400 m state champion at last month’s Victorian Track and Field Championship, Thatcher entered the 400 m heats in the form of her life.
After qualifying fourth with a personal best of 56.08 in Thursday morning’s heat, Thatcher automatically advanced to the final with a second-place finish in Thursday evening’s first semi-final.
Starting Friday’s medal decider in lane three, Thatcher somehow reached another level, slashing nearly half a second off her new personal best and finishing sixth with a sensational time of 55.59.
Thatcher was given two days’ rest before the women’s under 20 200 m heats occurred on Sunday.
The layoff didn’t extinguish the blazing speed coming off her spikes, as Thatcher accelerated to another final with a second-placed finish in the first heat.
In Monday’s 200 m final, which was the fourth last race of the championships, Thatcher officially cemented herself on the national stage with another sixth-place finish.
Thatcher’s 200 m final time of 24.38 was a 0.01 improvement from her personal best she set winning
the Victorian Track and Field Championship 200 m and only 0.03 seconds away from the under 20 world championship qualifying time.
Henderson also earned a personal best on the biggest stage, participating in the women’s under 20 triple jump after a bronze medal at the Victorian All School Championships.
It didn’t take long for Henderson to set a new personal benchmark, leaping an outstanding 10.88 m on her first attempt.
Despite impressive showings in her second and third jumps, Henderson was unable to improve from her first attempt, finishing 17th.