Athletics Australia – News – Beattie soars to new world record

David Rudisha was the only world record holder on the start list when competition commenced at the Sydney Track Classic, but he headed home sharing the mantle with Carlee Beattie after the Queenslander soared 5.84m (w: +0.1) to claim the F46 long jump world record in fine fashion.

Competing alongside her able-bodied counterparts, Beattie, a dual IPC World Championships medallist in January, boasted a foul less series with her opening jump of 5.71m (w: +0.7) the start of a continuing build to her record breaking leap in the penultimate round.

“My series was great, I had consistent jumps and three of them were above the world record,” Beattie said.

“It’s just fantastic to head to the Nationals as world record holder for my class, it’s a confidence boost like no other.”

With the Australian Athletics Championships next month now in her sights, Beattie is confident that her building momentum will put her in good stead to claim the national crown in Melbourne.

“I am one centimetre off the able-bodied qualifying mark for Australian Champs and I hope to hit that mark so that I can compete in both this and the AWD event.”

“My plans on track and a little dependant on the outcome of this, but whatever happens I am looking forward to Melbourne.”

A debutante at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics where in both the T46 100m and 200m she placed 15^th overall, the 28-year-old together with her coach Brett Jones have London 2012 at the top of their agenda.

“Australian Champs will be the start of a London campaign that includes a lot of training, plenty of competition and some serious sacrifices so that I head to the Games in the best shape I can.”

“For want of a better term it will literally be a matter of head down and bum up all the way until the Opening Ceremony.”

Beattie was joined on the runway on Saturday night by fellow Paralympian Jessica Gallagher, with the visually impaired athlete soaring 5.38m (w: +0.0). The only athlete concurrently representing Australia in both a winter and summer sport, Gallagher won both silver (F13 long jump) and bronze (F13 javelin throw) at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Christchurch earlier this year.

In other results for athletes with a disability at the Sydney Track Classic:

–          Madison De Rozario edged out Angie Ballard (second, 19.02) to win the women’s wheelchair 100m in a time of 18.34 (w: -0.5), with the tables turned across the 200m as Ballard (33.16, w: +0.4) took lines honours from De Rozario (second, 33.34).

–          Christie Dawes, competing in the same events, took to the track for the first time since giving birth to clock 19.81 (100m) and 34.11 (200m) respectively for third.

–          Matt Cameron (15.37, w: +0.1) edged out Commonwealth Games representative Jake Lappin (second, 15.73) to win the men’s wheelchair 200m and improve on his time from the IPC Athletics World Championships.

–          Returning from a hamstring injury, Gabriel Cole won the men’s ambulant 100m in an impressive 11.49 (w: 0.0) ahead of New South Welshman Andrew Newell (second, 11.84) and Andrew Matthews (third, 11.84)

–          IPC Athletics World Championships gold medallist Rachael Dodds clocked 17.27 (w: +0.3) in the women’s ambulant 100m to improve her qualifying mark for the London Paralympics.

 

Athletics Australia – News