Athletics Australia – News – Pearson wins at Sainsbury\’s Anniversary Games

Sally Pearson (Qld) will continue to be the woman to beat at the London 2012 Olympic Stadium after she won a tough battle in the women’s 100m hurdles at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games.

Fabrice Lapierre (NSW) also enjoyed final hit-out success as he soared 8.17m (w: +0.2) for second in the men’s long jump, while Kim Mickle (WA) and Kathryn Mitchell (Vic) placed an admirable 3rd and 4th respectively in the women’s javelin throw and the Australian men's 4x100m relay ran 38.71 to finish 4th.

Clocking a season best time of 12.65 (w: 0.0), Pearson was able to hold on to the early lead she took after her trademark good start to cross victorious from Tiffany Porter (GBR, second, 12.76) and Kellie Wells (USA, third, 12.95).

Pearson returned to competitive athletics after two hamstring injuries at the Ostrava Golden Spike last month, with the reigning world champion a convincing winner there in 12.67. She has since been frustrated by her inability to progress, but today’s success gives her confidence as she prepares to enter the Australian Flame Team Camp tomorrow ahead of competition at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow.

“Everyone told me to be patient and believe in myself and that’s what I’ve done. I haven’t shied away and I’ve come here and worked hard every single competition. I’ve still been showing up despite getting defeated but here I am today and it has come out my way,” Pearson said.

“It was a relief more than anything. I wasn’t happy with the time. I was stressing about staying in front and because of that my race wasn’t technically great, but for me I was just so happy to stay out in the lead and know that I will go from here to Moscow with a new season best.”

“It’s three weeks yesterday to my race at the World Championships so it’s finally coming together. My form is slowly coming back and it’s just disappointing about the rest of this season.”

Arriving at the Olympic Stadium as one of only ten athletes to have jumped the IAAF World Championships A-Qualifier of 8.25m for the men’s long jump, Lapierre was the fourth starter to take to the runway at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games and keen to make his mark on the world stage before arriving in Moscow next moth.

Opening his account with 7.57m, the national champion then leapt 7.70m, a foul that looked significantly beyond 8.00m, and his best mark of 8.17m (w: +0.2) in round four. Lapierre then felt his leg tighten when he jumped 6.40m in the penultimate round of competition, in turn deciding to retire and pass up his final attempt.

“It was good to jump out as far as I did. It wasn’t surprising for me as I have seen the marks I have been hitting in training but I wanted to put one out there today so that people know where I am at too,” Lapierre said.

“My thigh seemed to cramp up on that 5th jump so I decided to retire to get it looked at by the physiotherapist. I figure there was no point pushing it too much with World Championships around the corner. The good news is that it isn’t my hamstring.

“I’ve been sort of flying under the radar a bit until now. Today people have seen how I can jump, and I think I could have hit somewhere near 8.30m with my last crack had the leg not given me trouble. I want to win a medal in Moscow, and I’ll be doing my best to make that happen.”

Rounding out the Australians in action on Day 2 of the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games were Mickle and Mitchell in the women’s javelin.

A podium finisher on each and every start this year, Mickle has continued that tradition at Round 11 of the IAAF Diamond League today thanks to a 63.05m throw on her 5th attempt. Once again delivering a consistent series that included only one foul, the 2011 IAAF World Championships also threw 61.83m, 62.49m, 62.60m and 59.53m to finish behind winner Christina Obergfoll (GER, first, 63.80m).

Finishing one spot behind in 4th, Mitchell threw yet another IAAF World Championships B-Qualifier and season best of 61.45m to stake her claim for Australian Flame selection at the Final Selectors Meeting for the IAAF World Championships to be held early this week. Her series also included 59.68m, 60.53m, 59.50m and two fouls.

“My performance here last year was so disappointing so I suppose this is a little bit of redemption. I was angry Kim out there today, and the crowd was an exceptional motivator to make up for lost opportunity at London 2012. It’s game on for Moscow,” Mickle said.

“I have had a massive, massive week of training, so much so that I had heat exhaustion from working too hard on Tuesday. To still throw this well despite that is fantastic. I’ve got two more weeks to get ready for World Championships then I will taper and arrive there as fresh as a daisy.”

“A season best is good. I wanted to try something big early and do that in the first three to make sure that if I were in Moscow I would make a final. This is a step by step process after injury, I missed a lot of competition. There is more in me, and my consistency on the runway is still to come. I am feeling healthy and good, so it is just a matter of improving through training from here to Moscow,” Mitchell said.

To view and download results from Day 2 of the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games, please click here.

Competition continues at the Olympic & Paralympic stadium tomorrow, with the world’s best para-athletes looking to recapture their London 2012 success. An Australian contingent of 10 will compete with details below.

Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games – Day 3
London, Great Britain
Sunday 28 July
Event: Athlete (State) – event time in AEST

T34 100m: Rosemary Little (NSW) – 12:16am AEST – Monday 29 July 
T36 100m: Brayden Davidson (SA) – 12:38am AEST, Monday 29 July
T36/37 800m: Brad Scott (WA) – 12:53am AEST, Monday 29 July
T42 200m: Scott Reardon (NSW) – 1:23am AEST, Monday 29 July
T46 100m: Gabriel Cole (SA), Simon Patmore (Qld) – 12:41am, Monday 29 July
T54 200m: Matt Cameron (Qld), Sam Carter (Qld) – 11:58pm AEST, Sunday 28 July
T54 Mile: Richard Nicholson (ACT), Jake Lappin (Vic) – 2:14am AEST, Monday 29 July
 
With thanks to Pat Birgan

 

 Athletics Australia – News