Round 4 of the Australian Athletics Tour has thrilled a crowd of almost 5000 in wet conditions at Sydney Olympic Park tonight, with Australia’s best track and field stars joining a bounty of international heavyweights in delivering an athletics showcase at the 2011 Sydney Track Classic.

Leading the charge on the runway was Mitchell Watt, with the world and world indoor championships bronze medallist soaring 8.38m (w: +1.5) to win and secure his first IAAF world championships qualifier.

Returning to the sandpit after missing much of 2010 through injury, Watt’s form has been gradually building. An 8.13m (w: +0.1) leap to win in Brisbane three weeks ago was followed by 7.98m (w: +1.2) for victory at the IAAF Melbourne Track Classic just over a fortnight ago.

“Four fouls across the series was strange, it just took some time to work out where my run up should have started from,” Watt said.

“It’s only my third competition back and some things are taking a little bit of time to get used to again but there are definitely bigger things to come”

Watt’s performances sits within the top 4 of the IAAF outdoor rankings, and as such the Queenslander heads home with eight points for victory and ten bonus points to take a commanding lead in the jumps division of the Australian Athletics Tour.

“It felt great to get out that far; 8.08m was good but to get to the world champs (sic) qualifier is great, it was a bigger jump than I won bronze with in Berlin.”

Rounding out the top three was Kane Brigg (second, 7.58m, w: +0.2) and Shaun Fletcher (third, 7.54m, w: +2.2).

Commonwealth Games silver medallist Kim Mickle also etched her name on the qualifiers list, heaving a personal best 63.82m to stamp an initial claim for selection to the IAAF world championships.

A mixed series that included two fouls was concluded by her monster effort in the final round of competition to take home the eight points for victory and five bonus points for a top 16 IAAF outdoor rankings performance.

NSWIS scholarship holder Laura Cornford (57.74m, six points) was second, with Flame athlete Kathryn Mitchell (53.48m, four points) third.

In other field highlights:

–          World discus champion Dani Samuels heaved 58.34m (eight points + two bonus points) to win the women’s discus throw and continue her push for the Australian Athletics Tour throws title.

–          Olympic and world champion Valerie Adams dominated the women’s shot put with a winning 20.55m best throw, two centimetres shy of her own meet record.

–          In the men’s event, it was Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Dale Stevenson who took victory with a best mark of 19.74m (eight points + two bonus points).

On the track, 800m world record holder David Rudisha stole the show by dominating a scintillating two laps to win in a time of 1:44.81.

Despite being unable to improve on his 1:43.88 at the IAAF Melbourne Track Classic, Rudisha’s time was a meet record and caps off an outstanding showcase by the African champion Down Under this year.

“My run tonight was good, the conditions here were wet and tough and a 1:44 on a night like this is satisfying, I am feeling very strong and confident” Rudisha said.

“From here I will head back to Kenya and continue the build to Daegu with the Doha Diamond League my first major hit out after Australia.

“I love competing here, I was here last year and my results always seem to be good so I hope to be back.”

Local favourite and national champion Lachlan Renshaw blistered the straight to place second (1:46.06) ahead of fellow New South Welshman James Gurr (third, 1:46.62), whilst Olympic 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop (KEN) placed 5^th in a time of 1:46.80.

Olympic silver medallist Sally Pearson once again dominated the women’s short sprints by clocking a meet record 11.21 (w: +0.1) to win the 100m and 23.12 (w: -0.2) to take line honours in the 200m.

Narrowly missing the IAAF world championships qualifier of 44 seconds with her 4x100m relay team mates Melissa Breen, Laura Whaler and Charlotte Van Veenendaal, Pearson burst out of the blocks in her individual events with a point to prove.

“I am really, really exhausted after the treble tonight, but the 100m result really pushed me to go hard in the 200m,” Pearson said.

“I couldn’t have been happier with my 100m, and was rapt by my start in the 200m.

“Things are starting to come together, my race plans are working and hopefully strong results will continue to follow.”

Pearson now heads to the Go for 2&5 Australian Athletics Tour Final in Perth as leader of the sprints/hurdles division with 20 points.

In the men’s sprints, it was American Angelo Taylor who reigned supreme.

Edging out up and coming sprinting sensation Nicholas Hough (second, 21.03) to win the 200m in a time of 20.71 (w: -0.1), Taylor (45.71) returned to the track for victory in the men’s 400m ahead of national champion Ben Offereins (second, 46.16) and outstanding 17-year-old Steven Solomon (third, 46.24).

In other track highlights:

–          Estonian Maris Magi stopped the clock at 52.21 to win a thrilling women’s 400m, with 15-time national champion Tamsyn Lewis second (52.26) and American Monica Hargrove (52.33) third.

–          Jamaican Kenia Sinclair (4:06.50) won the women’s 1500m, with the surprise performance coming from 15-year-old Anna Laman (NSW) who clocked 4:13.62 to place fourth.

–          A likely challenger to Sally Pearson in the sprints/hurdles title race, Commonwealth Games representative Lauren Boden clocked 56.41 to win the women’s 400m hurdles.

–          Clocking 3:39.03, Flame athlete Jeremy Roff took home eight points for winning the men’s 1500m, edging out American Craig Miller (second, 3:39.42) and Queenslander Nicholas Toohey (third, 3:39.87).

The Australian Athletics Tour now heads to Perth, with the West Australian capital set to play host to the Australian Athletics Tour Final on Thursday, March 31 and Friday, April 1.

With all championship events on the timetable, Australia’s best track and field stars will battle it out across four divisions (sprints/hurdles, jumps, throws, distance) with bonus points set to make the title races thrilling until the very end.

To view the full results of the 2011 Sydney Track Classic, please click here.

 

Athletics Australia – News