What a week for Illawarra athletes! There was an outstanding debut performance from Delta Amidzovski, aged just 19, as she made her senior Australian long jump debut at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Delta's best was her first-round effort of 6.28 metres, to finish 27th. Sarah Carli ran a strong race to beat her heat time by 0.21 seconds and finish seventh in 55.03 seconds in the 400m hurdles semi-finals. And Jess Hull (pictured above with the ABC Illawarra team wearing her 2024 Paris Olympics silver medal) won Australia's first-ever medal in the 1,500m, claiming a brilliant bronze in Tokyo this week. Hull had to dip to hold off a fast-finishing Nelly Chepchirchir to claim her first world championship medal. You can read more about Jess's mighty run below.
 

Also this week, we have a wrap-up of the Kiama state by-election, have a listen to our 25th anniversary Sydney Olympic special, and read our story about the final night of the Dapto Dogs.
 

Have a great week, and remember, if you have a story idea drop an email to 973@your.abc.net.au.
 

Rory Macdonald,
 

ABC Illawarra editor.

The NSW Premier said Kiama now has the ear of the government after it claimed victory in the by-election triggered by the resignation of convicted rapist Gareth Ward.

The proposed centrepiece is a "single front door" authority to provide advice on development applications on behalf of all government agencies.

One of the most famed tracks in Australian greyhound racing, known as the Dapto Dogs, has held its final race meet after almost 90 years. 

Jess Hull claimed Australia's best result in a 1,500m at the world championships with a bronze medal, but she wants to make it gold next time around.

One and a half million Australians are at risk from sea levels rising by 2050 unless climate change can be limited, Australia’s first national climate risk assessment warns. 

Police say the attack on a home in Fairy Meadow, near Wollongong, was targeted and that they are investigating potential links to gang and black market activity.