Athletics Australia – News – Samuels versus Breisch in Sydney showdown

American discus throw champion Becky Breisch has today confirmed her intentions to compete Down Under next month and will face off with world discus champion Dani Samuels at the Sydney Track Classic in Round 4 of the Australian Athletics Tour on March 19.

A three-time world championships representative (2005, 2007, 2009), Breisch in June last year threw 63.34m to win the 2010 national crown at the USA Track & Field Championships before returning to her home state of California in July to heave 66.52m, the fourth best throw of 2010.

With her personal best mark of 67.37m the second best female discus result in American history, the 27-year-old finished atop the podium 12 times in 2010 and also appeared on the Diamond League circuit in New York (USA), Paris (FRA), Lausanne (SUI), London (GBR) and Brussels (BEL).

“I’m extremely excited about coming to such a beautiful and welcoming country,” Breisch said.

“Dani (Samuels) is a great competitor and I expect nothing less than a great competition.”

Samuels, on the other hand, is the current world champion, former world junior champion (2006), a six-time consecutive national discus throw champion (2005-10) and at the Sydney Track Classic in 2010 threw a new personal best of 65.84m.

The winner on every occasion she took to the throwers circle in Australia last year, Samuels has already opened her 2011 domestic season account with victories at the Hunter Track Classic in Newcastle (NSW) and the Brisbane Athletics Classic last Friday (February 11).

“Competing in my home town and across the Australian domestic season is always a thrill and it will be great to face some strong competition in Becky this year as I start my build up to Daegu,” Samuels said.

“My record in terms of wins domestically has been great, so fingers crossed I can hold off her challenge and perform strongly on the night.”

The Sydney Track Classic will be the 5^th time the dynamic duo have competed against each other this past year, with Samuels narrowly edging out Breisch on four occasions.

A five-stop national tour, the 2011 Australian Athletics Tour boasts four divisions (sprints/hurdles, distance, throws, distance) with male and female athletes in different events pitted against each other in the race for the largest prize purse in Australian athletics history.

The Sydney Track Classic is the last leg of the tour before the Tour Final in Perth, with domestic athletes on the hunt for strong point scores lining up alongside a bounty of international talent that includes 800m world record holder David Rudisha taking to the two-lap event at a blistering pace.

2011 Australian Athletics Tour

Round 2: Briggs Athletics Classic (Hobart) – Sunday February 20, 2011
Round 3: Melbourne Track Classic – Thursday March 3, 2011
Round 4: Sydney Track Classic – Saturday March 19, 2011
Australian Athletics Tour Final Perth: Thursday March 31 – Friday April 1, 2011

Sydney Track Classic

Sydney Olympic Park
5:00pm – Saturday, March 19 2011
Tickets are now on sale via the event website – www.sydneytrackclassic.com

Athletics Australia – News