Hayman, Smallacombe create history at Dandenong
History was created at Dandenong Club as the 2020 Australian Champion of Champions came to a close this afternoon.
Dawn Hayman (NSW) and Trystan Smallacombe (NT) claimed the respective women’s and men’s titles at the long-awaited event, postponed due to implications of COVID-19 in 2020.
Victories to the pair created two pieces of history.
Having won the 2019 instalment of the event, Hayman becomes the first woman to secure multiple national Champion of Champions titles; and just the third person to claim back-to-back crowns (Scott Thulborn 2014-15, Lee Schraner 2017-2018).
Hayman said it was an honour to have claimed the title for a second time.
“I’m extremely happy with how I’ve gone the past couple of days,” Hayman said.
“I was confident in the way I’d been playing but with everyone else I was expecting to get beaten, so to go through undefeated is a huge honour.
“I’ve had some good results coming into this and I’ve been extremely happy with how I’m going with singles.”
Hayman was home and hosed before the final round commenced, with an unassailable lead after remaining undefeated from her six encounters.
Her final clash came against fellow undefeated BCiB Australia Jackaroo Carla Krizanic, with the Wollongong native storming home with the last ten shots to win 21-12.
Krizanic would finish with the silver medal, with Queensland’s Chloe Stewart claiming the bronze medallion.
Smallacombe will return home as the pride of the Northern Territory, becoming the first male Australian Champion of Champions victor, and just the second Territorian to have done so, following in the footsteps of Colleen Orr 2017.
He held on for a 21-15 victory over Queenslander Ben Walsh in one of the tightest matches of the event.
The Darwin Club representative edged out Corey Wedlock on points differential and was filled with relief after a tense day.
“I’m stuck for words, I’m so proud of how I’ve played over the last couple of days, it was a real battle of nerves in that last match,” he said.
“The last fifteen minutes before the last match I was extremely nervous, I didn’t eat all my lunch in case I saw it later on.
“It’s the biggest highlight of my career, to have this national success and it’s up there with the five-a-side I won in Moama with some great mates.”
Smallacombe’s morning started in tense fashion, falling 21-8 to South Australian Adrian Green before he recorded victories over Taelyn Male and Walsh.
Corey Wedlock took out the silver medal with Victorian Rhys Jeffs claiming bronze.
Dandenong Club will return to the national stage when the 2020 Australian Championships ignites from May 24-28.
