Track and Field Talents Selected for World Uni Games

Four Western Australian athletes have been confirmed in the Athletics section to compete for Australia at the World University Games in Naples.

Pole vaulters Angus Armstrong and Steph Clough will be joined by high jumper Grant Szalek and race walker Declan Tingay with competition running from July 3-14.

Armstrong moved from his hometown of Sydney at the end of 2018 to linkup with coach Alex Parnov. The move paid quick dividends with the 22 year-old elevating his personal best to 5.52m before claiming a first national title at the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney earlier this year.

Clough has similarly enjoyed a strong domestic campaign, raising his personal best to 5.45m. The Paul Burgess coached vaulter will now turn his attention towards a second World Uni Games performance for Australia, following his debut in Taipei in 2017.

Grant Szalek was one of two high jumpers selected on the Australian Team for Naples, where he will be joined by Queenslander Brenton Foster.

The Grant Ward coached leaper made his mark at the Australian Athletics Championships when he finished third, second Australian overall, in competition with a best height clearance of 2.15m.

He has cleared 2.20m and above numerous times over the season and is considered one of the nation’s best young high jumpers.

Declan Tingay made a name for himself in 2018 by breaking the Australian U20 record in the 10km race walk at the World Championships (U20) in Tampere, Finland. The age record had previously belonged to Olympic medallist and reigning Commonwealth Games 20km race walk champion Dane Bird-Smith.

The 20 year-old is coached by his father Stephen, who is no stranger to University himself, as a Professor of Radio Astronomy at Curtin University.

The 2019 World University Games will include 18 sports and 222 events, with over 9,300 athletes expected to compete.