Mottram heads indoor hopes in Spain – IAAF World Indoors – Athletics Australia

Distance runner Craig Mottram will have an opportunity to add another medal to his already expansive collection, when he takes to the start line for the 3000m at the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain this weekend.

Buster will be flying the Australian flag alongside Steve Hooker (pole vault), Scott Martin (shot put), Tamsyn Lewis (800m), Sean Wroe (400m) and the men’s 4 x 400m relay team.

Ahead of the Beijing Olympics, the sporting world will be keeping a close eye on proceedings, with many of the fields resembling those that may end up in the finals at Games time.

Competing indoors will be a challenge for many of the Australians – especially Scott Martin and the majority of the 4 x 400 men, who have never competed in the unique conditions.

The team, who arrived in Valencia on Monday, have been forced to train outdoors and will only get to test the 200m competition track, with its sharp bends and banking, on the eve of competition.

Craig Mottram VIC (3000m)
Heat – Friday 8:55pm (AEDT)
Final – Monday 3:45am (AEDT)

Mottram possesses the second fastest indoor 3000m time in the world this year (7:34.50), after breaking his own national record and producing the fastest ever indoor 3000m on US soil in Boston in January. He warmed up last Thursday night in Brisbane, cruising to victory to take out the Australian title over the distance outdoors.

The 27 year-old has represented Australia once before at the World Indoors, stopping the clock in 7:48.34 to place eighth in Lisbon in 2001.

With defending champion Kenenisa Bekele choosing to focus his attention on regaining the World Cross Country title, Ethiopia’s expectations rest with his younger brother, Tariku.

His 7:31.09 indoors in Stuttgart is the fastest in the world this year and the battle between the diminutive Ethiopian and Mottram will be one of the highlights of the meet. The duo have met on seven occasions over various distances, with Buster holding the upper hand six races to one.

Mottram arrived in Valencia yesterday afternoon after a short training stint in London and is raring to go.

“I’m still in great shape after the flight from Australia on Friday and have had a couple of good training days in London,” Mottram said.

“There don’t seem to be too many unknowns in the race – plenty of familiar faces – all the usual suspects.

“But there won’t be anything easy about it – whilst I know them all and how the race – I also know that they’re pretty good runners. But I’m ready.”

Steve Hooker WA (pole vault)
Qualifying – Saturday 8:20pm (AEDT)
Final – Monday 2:00am (AEDT)

Hooker will embark on his first major international hit-out in five months, when he lines up against a quality field which includes reigning world indoor and outdoor champion Brad Walker (US) and world indoor leader Yevgeniy Lukyanenko (RUS), who has cleared 5.81m or better four times this season.

Clearing the magical six-metre mark for the first time in January – only the 15th man in history to do so, the 25 year-old will be making his debut at the World Indoors in 2008. His indoor escapades early last year resulted in a new Australian indoor record of 5.81m in Boston and 5.80m at the Millrose Games in New York.

Scott Martin VIC (shot put)
Qualifying – Friday 8:00pm (AEDT)
Final – Saturday 4:30am (AEDT)

Despite a slight hiccup at the national championships on the weekend, Martin will enter tomorrow’s qualifying round with a confidence-building national record heave of 21.27m from Melbourne under his belt.

The American duo of Reese Hoffa and Christian Cantwell enter the championships stamped with the favourite tag, after consistently throwing beyond the 21-metre mark throughout the indoor season.

Tamsyn Lewis VIC (800m)
Heat – Saturday 3:55am (AEDT)
Semi-final – Sunday 3:25am (AEDT)
Final – Monday 3:15am (AEDT)

Experienced World Indoors campaigner Tamsyn Lewis will be donning the green and gold for the third time in Valencia. In outstanding form throughout the domestic season, the 29 year-old will be put to the test on the international stage this weekend.

Mozambique athlete Maria Mutola is seeking a remarkable eighth World Indoor 800m title, whilst the fastest in the field is Natalya Ignatova, who clocked 1:58.84 to take the silver medal behind Yelena Soboleva at the Russian Championships.

Sean Wroe VIC (400m)
Heat – Saturday 4:55am (AEDT)
Semi-final – Sunday 5:00am (AEDT)
Final – Monday 2:35am (AEDT)

Wroe has completed a solid domestic season, and after being named for Beijing, the young Victorian will thrive on another opportunity to compete against the world’s best in a new environment.

Tyler Christopher, the lone sub-46 performance indoors this season, will attempt to become Canada’s first 400m gold medallist.

Sean Wroe VIC, Joel Milburn NSW, Dylan Grant QLD, Daniel Batman AIS, Mark Ormrod SA (men\’s 4 x 400m relay)
Heat – Sunday 9:00pm
Final – Monday 5:05am

The USA have won this title on six occasions, however on tight indoor curves where passing is difficult, anything could happen. The Australian team is young but enthusiastic, and with one remaining place on the Beijing team still up for grabs, Ormrod and Batman will be keen to impress.

Further information and live results can be found on www.iaaf.org.

For all of the latest news on the participating Australians, visit athletics.com.au across the weekend.