Amidzovski ready to leap into 2026

Two of Australia’s top teenage talents are leaping into the return of the Hobart Track Classic on February 28, with World Under 20 long jump champion Delta Amidzovski – a New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder and high jumper Izobelle Louison-Roe leading a rising crop of new-look stars.

Being hosted for the first time since 2016, the Hobart Track Classic is set to bring not only the nation’s Olympic and Paralympic names to Tasmania, but so too the next generation who are already making their mark on the international stage.

In the upper echelon of that list is 2024 World Under 20 long jump champion Amidzovski (NSW, Becky Amidzovski) who arrives in Hobart with a 6.58m personal best, having made her senior debut at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

A versatile talent who also won World Under 20 bronze in the 100m hurdles, the 19-year-old is ready to continue her development in 2026 where she has the Commonwealth Games on her mind.

“I have had a massive pre-season training block and I’m really excited to get back into long jump. I have been jumping the best I ever have in training, so I’m hoping it comes out in competition,” Amidzovski said.

“This year I have a stronger mindset of what I can achieve. Last year I just approached it as a year of change, but this year is about performing well and doing some great jumps and times.”

Amidzovski will face off against reigning Australian champion Samantha Dale (NSWIS, Andrew Murphy) who owns a 6.71m personal best, welcoming the challenge presented by her World Championships teammate.

“Definitely Sam is my toughest competitor at the moment based on what she was jumping last year, but Brooke [Buschkuehl] is also coming back and our event really comes down to who can bring their best on the day,” Amidzovski said.

Louison-Roe (NSW, Karen Roe) was already enjoying a decorated junior career which included World Under 20 silver in the high jump in 2024, but the 18-year-old has since raised the bar to 1.95m – sending her stocks skyrocketing.

Now only one centimetre behind Eleanor Patterson’s (NSWIS) once untouchable 1.96m Australian Under 20 record and with the pressure of qualifying for the 2026 Commonwealth Games and World Athletics Under 20 Championships alleviated, Louison-Roe is ready to put on a show in Hobart.

“I’m Super excited to compete in Hobart! Ever since I was little I have always wanted to go to Tasmania, so the fact I get to compete there is amazing. Track Classics always bring the energy and I’m thrilled to be a part of that,” Louison-Roe said.

“1.95 was the goal for the start of competition this year and I am thrilled to have done it so early in the season. It has opened up further possibilities of competing at the Commonwealth Games – a goal which I will now pursue.”

World Championships representative Emily Whelan (NSW, Matthew Horsnell) looms as the main challenger to the teenage talent, bringing 1.91m credentials of her own to the contest.

The last national one-day athletics meet in Hobart was held at the 2016 Briggs Athletics Classic, with the meet still home to the Australian Women’s 200m record set by Melinda Gainsford-Taylor in 1994, and other notable meet records held by Catherine Freeman, Sebastian Coe and Jane Saville.

The 2026 Hobart Track Classic will be hosted on February 28 at Domain Athletics Centre.

Tickets can be purchased HERE.

Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics