Cannell leads Tassie charge as medal tally rises at athletics nationals

Held in Western Australia's capital, Perth, junior competitors from all over the country have been vying for podium places with the under-20 world championships looming in the horizon.

With athletes from across Tasmania adding to the medal tally, Glenorchy's Arielle Cannell has led the way with two gold medals in under-16 and under-18 hammer throw, her second off the back of a 60.59-metre attempt.

Cannell was joined by fellow South athletes steeplechaser Jacob Gardner and long jumper Blake Doyle, whose 7.34m personal-best effort won the state their third gold at the event.

Gardner became the second to double up on gold medals as he smashed his personal best to win the under-18 3000m in 8:34.19.

Meanwhile, Doyle followed up his heroics with an under-17 and under-18 state record in his 110m hurdles in which he secured a bronze with a time of 14.12.

The championships were off to hot start for Tasmania in the under-16 boys' steeplechase as Max Pereira set a new state record of 5:58.68 en route to a bronze medal.

The opening day continued its record-breaking theme when the under-18 girls' 4x100m relay team of Issy Gray, Izzy Wing, Kayedel Smith and Chelsea Scolyer claimed silver and bettered the state benchmark in the process with a time of 47.48.

Launceston's Sam Lindsay continued the Northern involvement on the podium as he improved his personal best to 13:12.78 in the under-16 boys' 3000m race walk and came away with a silver medal on Saturday.

Fellow Launceston athlete Chanel Charles claimed bronze the next day in the under-15 girls' 400m with a time of 57.03, a personal best.

Bailey Van Den Broek (long jump), Max Perkin (100m) and Violet Owen (800m) were also among the medals.