Athletics Australia – News – ATHLETE UPDATE: May 2013 – Watt ready for IAAF Diamond League debut

Oceania and Australian record holder Mitchell Watt (Qld) will begin his international assault in the men’s long jump at the IAAF Diamond League in Shanghai (CHN) on Saturday night.

His first major international outing since soaring 8.16m to win silver at the 2012 London Olympic Games, Watt’s start begins a charge toward the IAAF World Championships that includes competition at Round 3 of the IAAF Diamond League in Eugene (USA) in the coming weeks before a brief stint at home in Brisbane ahead of a European campaign that opens with the Birmingham Grand Prix.

“I am really looking forward to coming out of what has been a pretty long training block. The domestic season was a little short and it will be good to get away and compete with some of the boys again,” Watt said.

“After missing Nationals we decided not to change too much of my training program. Things have continued as they always would have and I suppose the only real difference is that I will now jump in Eugene to add another hit out before I get to Europe.”

“I can honestly say that training has been great, but that doesn’t always translate to a solid series in a competitive environment, especially in the early stages of the year so we will see.”

“This weekend will be my first big competition since London. It’s about getting my run-up right and building. For me this is key priority competition wise before World Championships, getting my technique and everything right to be able to jump well later in the year.”

Watt was to be joined at the Chinese leg of the IAAF Diamond League by Benn Harradine (Qld), but he has chosen to remain in Australia after his very impressive record-breaking performance in Townsville (Qld) on Friday night.

One week later at Adidas Grand Prix in New York (USA), national javelin champion and Kim Mickle (WA) will begin her international campaign on the road to the IAAF World Championships.

Mickle’s form during the Australian domestic season was impressive, with the Perth-based Olympian hurling an IAAF World Championships A-Qualifier of more than 62 metres at the Sydney Track Classic in March and the Qantas Australian Athletics Championships one month later.

Later in the month, an Australian under 21 squad of seven will be joined by the men’s 4x100m relay team at the Taiwan Open Athletics Championships in Taipei City (TPE).

The men’s 4x100m relay squad includes automatically selected charges Josh Ross (Vic), Tim Leathart (NSW) and Jarrod Geddes (NSW), with Mitchell Williams-Swain (Qld), Isaac Ntiamoah (NSW) and Anthony Alozie (NSW) set to join them. The starting line up will be decided at a later date, and all will also compete in the individual 100m.

May 17: USATF Oxy High Performance Meet – Eagle Rock (USA)
1500m: Zoe Buckman (ACT), James Kaan (NSW)
5000m: Ben St Lawrence (NSW)

May 18: IAAF Diamond League (Round 2) – Shanghai (CHN)
Long jump: Mitchell Watt (Qld)

Round 2 of the IAAF Diamond League will be LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on EUROSPORT (Channel 511) from 10:00pm AEST, Saturday 18 May

May 18: International Pole Vault Meeting – Busan (KOR)
Pole vault: Liz Parnov (WA), Joel Pocklington (Vic) 

May 19: Gifu Half Marathon – Nagoya (JPN)
Half marathon: Lara Tamsett (NSW)

May 19: Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon – Sydney (NSW)
Half marathon: Nikki Chapple

May 25: IAAF Diamond League (Round 3) – New York (USA)
Javelin: Kim Mickle (WA)

Round 3 of the IAAF Diamond League will be LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on EUROSPORT (Channel 511) from 3:15am AEST, Sunday 25 May
 
May 25: Ottawa 10K – Ottawa (CAN)
10km: Martin Dent (ACT)

May 27-28: Taiwan Open Athletics Championships – Taipei City (TPE)
100m: Ashleigh Whittaker (Vic), Josh Ross (Vic), Jarrod Geddes (NSW), Tim Leathart (NSW), Isaac Ntimoah (NSW), Anthony Alozie (NSW), Mitchell Williams-Swain (Qld)
200m: Nick Hough (NSW)
110m hurdles: Nick Hough (NSW)
M 4 x100m relay: Josh Ross (Vic), Jarrod Geddes (NSW), Tim Leathart (NSW), Isaac Ntimoah (NSW), Anthony Alozie (NSW), Mitchell Williams-Swain (Qld) (team to be decided)
Long jump: Brooke Stratton (Vic)
Pole vault: Rebecca Marchant (Vic)
Shot put: Damien Birkinhead (Vic)
Discus throw: Taryn Gollshewsky (Qld)

May 31: IAAF Diamond League (Round 4) – Eugene (USA)
Long jump: Mitchell Watt (Qld)
Javelin: Kim Mickle (WA)

 

Athletics Australia – News