The NSW Combined High Schools Sports Association (NSWCHSSA) Secondary Athletics Championship has made a triumphant return to the Sydney Athletic Centre with an extraordinary 10 records being broken at the three-day meet.

After two years interrupted by COVID-19, the championship returned last Wednesday to Friday at Olympic Park.

And it was as if some of the best young athletes in the country were determined to make up for lost time as record after record fell.

Perhaps none was more impressive than walker Elizabeth McMillen (Killarney Heights High School) who bettered a 27-year-old state record for U/15-19 girls in the 3,000 metre walk. Her time of 13 minutes 17.61 seconds was more than three seconds better than the previous record.

Not too far behind in the record stakes was Jasynta Lampret (Endeavour Sports High), whose 13.86 second marker in the U/16 100m hurdles beat a time that had stood for 18 years.

The time puts her on track for Commonwealth Youth Games representation in Trinidad and Tobago next year and came at a meet where she also took out the 200m, high jump and was part of another record for the Endeavour Sports High 4x100m relay team.

She was joined in the relay by her younger sister Tammin who was competing in a higher age group.

The 14-year-old made it a real family affair when it came to individual brilliance, picking up the state record for her age group’s 90m hurdles.

Westfields Sports High’s Rashid Kabba was in similarly electric form, dusting off a 13-year-old record in the U/17-19 110m hurdles.

“That was completely out of nowhere but I have been in a really good mindset lately,” he said.

Rashid also took out the 200 metres and is eyeing off the next world junior championships in 2024.

Elsewhere, Grace Krause of Temora High School (U/15 100m and 200m), Jayden Todoroski of Westfields Sports High (U/12 200m) and Kirrawee High School’s Izobelle Louison Roe (U/12-15 triple jump) all etched their names into the record books.

Peter Banks, Leader School Sport Unit, said the championship was a resounding success.

“The meticulous work of Jacqui Patrick, Executive Officer Combined High Schools and her team including Championship Convener, Ian Hinton from Oran Park High School ensured all competitors were provided with an opportunity to reach their full potential in their chosen discipline,” he said.

“The live streaming of the Championship was well received increasing the accessibility of the event with particularly strong engagement from rural and remote communities.”