Athletics Australia – News – HUNTER: Ladies lead the charge in super-sprints

One of the biggest draw cards to the Hunter Track Classic on 2 February will be the impressive line-up of international and homegrown talent in the women’s sprints.

Headlining the list will be the toast of Papua New Guinea in Toea Wisil (PNG), who is still buzzing from a London Olympic Games experience that included mixing it with the world’s best in the women’s 100m and carrying the flag of her nation into the main stadium at the Opening Ceremony.

Syd Yates, Papua New Guinean Chef de Mission said of Wisil: "Its hard to look past Toea as the flag bearer for Team PNG as her story epitomises the magic of how sport can transform lives.

To think that less than ten years ago Toea was running barefoot at the 2003 PNG Games and now will be leading Team PNG as the world watches, carrying the flag at the opening ceremony, is the stuff of fairytales."

The 24-year-old, who has been dubbed 'Superwoman' as well as the 'Pacific Track Queen', now lives and trains on the Gold Coast and has a pretty handy training partner in Olympic gold medallist & Australian Athlete of the Year Sally Pearson (Qld). The sprinting duo are both coached by highly respected and successful coach Sharon Hannan, who late last year was crowned Australian Sports Commission Senior Coach of the Year by Athletics Australia.

Wisil is the reigning Pacific Games Champion in the 100m, 200m and 400m. She also holds the PNG national records for the 200m and 400m. At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi (IND), Wisil finished just outside the medals with 4th in the women’s 100m.

It is clear, however that she is only getting better. 2012 was a big year for Wisil, winning the 200m silver medal at the Australian Athletics Championships in Melbourne (Vic), before making her Olympic debut in London (GBR).

Wisil said: “My recent training is going well. It is great to train with Sally, and be coached by Sharon. I’m looking forward to running at the Hunter Track Classic.”

Lining up against Wisil in the 200m will be Laura Whaler (NSW). The sprinter from East Maitland, who competed in the women’s 4x100m relay at the 2011 IAAF World Championships, will be looking to run well & set herself up for a big domestic season which hopefully leads to selection to the Australian Flame for the IAAF World Championships in Moscow (RUS) later this year.

Whaler is now based in Melbourne & has been training alongside Hunter Track Classic regular & crowd favourite Tamsyn Manou (Vic). After winning the women’s 400m at the Glendale Track last year, Manou is making her return to the Hunter in 2013, but this time will be swapping her spikes for the microphone as she helps with commentary & athlete interviews on the night.

Manou said:” “The Hunter Track Classic is my favorite meet of the season and I’m just as excited to be a part of the meet even though I won’t be competing, it will great to take in the whole meet rather than being in the athlete bubble.”

The 2013 edition of the women’s 400m is another feature event on the program. The one-lap dash is shaping up as a showdown between Jernail Hayes (USA) and Wisil, who will double up after running the 200m.

Hayes was part of the American silver medal winning 4x400m relay team at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul (TUR) last year. She boasts a 400m personal best of 52.66, set in 2010.

Look out for an Australian challenge in the form of Anneliese Rubie (NSWIS), who ran a personal best of 53.06 last weekend, and Charlotte Van Veenendaal (NSW), who is now coached by legendary 400m master Mike Hurst.

Flying the flag for the Hunter Valley in this event will be local young-gun Emily Coppins from Thornton. Emily competed in 4x400m relay at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona (ESP) last year & will be looking to improve on her 400m PB of 55.29.

To purchase tickets, and for more information, please visit www.huntertrackclassic.com.au

NATIONAL ATHLETICS SERIES

The National Athletics Series, incorporating the 2013 Australian Athletics Tour, is an eight-stop nationwide tour that sees international athletics descend on every state.

The Australian domestic season also features the 4th Australian Junior Athletics Championships, to be held in Perth (WA) for the first time and the 91st Australian Athletics Championships & IAAF World Championships Selection Trial in Sydney (NSW) for the first time since 2006.

20 Jan 2013 IAAF World Cross Country Selection Trial – Canberra (ACT)
2 Feb 2013 Hunter Track Classic – Newcastle (NSW)
16 Feb 2013 Adelaide Track Classic – Adelaide (SA) – click here for tickets
16-17 Feb 2013 Aust. Junior Combined Event Championships -Adelaide (SA)
23 Feb 2013 Briggs Athletics Classic – Hobart (Tas)
24 Feb 2013 Oceania & Aust. 20km Race Walking Championships – Hobart (Tas)
9 Mar 2013 Sydney Track Classic – Sydney (NSW) – click here for tickets
12-17 Mar 2013 Australian Junior Athletics Championships – Perth (WA)
16 Mar 2013 Perth Track Classic – Perth (WA) – click here for tickets
23 Mar 2013 Queensland Track Classic – Brisbane (Qld)
6 Apr 2013 Melbourne World Challenge – Melbourne (Vic) – click here for tickets
11-14 Apr 2013 91st Australian Athletics Championships & IAAF World Championships Selection Trial – Sydney (NSW) – click here for tickets

 

Athletics Australia – News