Athletics Australia – News – CALI 2015

 University of Queensland athlete Darcy Roper (QLD) has claimed silver in the long jump with a personal best of 8.01m (w: +0.5) and an Australian under-18 record on day two of competition at the IAAF World Youth Championships, Cali 2015 in Cali, Colombia.
 
“No disappointment, it would have been great to get the gold, I came here to win and give the Cubans a good go, but an Australian record, it’s amazing, finally getting in the eights, I’m not too disappointed,” Roper said.
 
Roper's jump surpasses Chris Noffke (QLD) record of 7.95m in Marrakesh (MOR) at the 2005 edition of the IAAF World Youth Championships.
 
“It felt great, I know there is still room for improvement, technically there is a few things I can fix up and hopeful it will get me closer to the Beijing qualifier.”
 
“To go over eight metres was crazy, it actually really hurt my toe on the take off, I’ll need to check on my toe nail later on to see how that’s going,” Roper said.
 
Cuban Maykel Demetrio Massó proved why he went into the final as the best-ranked youth long jumper in the world; recording a fourth round championship record jump of 8.05m to claim gold.
 
“It was a little bit hard when he jumped over eight, he gets some amazing height, he can jump, but, I know I’ve got room for improvement and work to do,” Roper said.
 
“I’m really happy with the consistency, knowing I can jump the high sevens and now we are into the eights,” Roper said.
 
Brazilian Eberson Silva pulled out a personal best of 7.76m to move into second briefly before Roper regained the silver medal spot with his fifth round attempt of 7.80m.
 
“I was really surprised, good on him, really good jumping and he used the crowd a bit ”, Roper said.
 
An injury cloud could have over-shadowed Ropers championship but he wasn’t going to let that get in the way of competing in Cali.
 
“I tried not to let it get to me (injury), it’s ready hard to put it in the back of your mind when its hurting but I managed to use the crowd to help me, I was thinking its ok but I was hurting”, Roper said.
 
UTS Norths athlete Louis Stenmark (NSW) has delivered a personal best time of 46.78 in semi-final two of the 400m to progress to the day three final.

“I was a bit more ready this time, obviously a stronger field being a semi, but, I kept the self belief and trusted my abilities and went out there and did it,” Stenmark said.
 
Stenmark will head into tomorrows final with the sixth fastest time in what will be one of the must watch events of the championships.
 
“Will see how it goes (the final), I’m excited to run against a few of the top guys, I'm there with them in the final so will see how it goes, Stenmark said.
 
University of Queensland athlete Brandon Herrigan (QLD) progressed from the heats of the 110m hurdles with a personal best of 13.69 (w: -0.4) in the morning session on day two.
 
“It was a little bit sloppy, it wasn’t one of my bests races, but, it was good to get the first one out of the way,” Herrigan said.
 
“A sneaky personal best into the head wind gives me lots of confidence going into the semi-finals.”
 
The current Australian under-18 110m hurdles champion had the best reaction time out of the blocks in heat one, with a split of 0.125 seconds.
 
“I got a really good start, I was happy, I’ve been absolutely slamming the starts and full props to my coach Stacey (Taurima),” Herrigan said.
 
Herrigan qualified tenth fastest heading into the day three semi-finals with Isaiah Lucas (USA) producing a world youth lead of 13.44 in heat five.
 
“The atmosphere was incredible, you walk out and there is this roaring crowd in your face, I felt like I dealt with it well,” Herrigan said.
 
Frankston athlete Ned Weatherly (VIC) has progressed to the final of the hammer throw after producing a round two distance of 77.49m in the final event of the morning session on day two.

“It definitely feels good as it didn’t feel like a good throw and I know I’ve got a lot more in me and I’m really excited for the final”, Weatherly said.
 
Competing in Group B Weatherly went into his qualifying round knowing five had already produced automatic standards; including favourite Hilb Piskunov (UKR) who threw 82.10m on his first attempt.
 
“It’s awesome to see the auto qualifiers being smashed constantly, its not four or five its almost all 12 hitting it and shows there is a good group of hammer throwers currently coming up at the moment.”, Weatherly said.
 
After a strong final training session in Cali, Brenton Foster (QLD) made easy work of his first two attempts at 2.00m and 2.04m, before clearing 2.08m to progress to the high jump final on Saturday night.
 
“It was a bit nerve-racking that third one, on the second clearance I was close, a tiny bit and I would have got there, but, after I got it I was happy,” Foster said.
 
It was a tense wait for 17-year-old Foster who cleared the height of 2.08m on his third and final attempt.
 
“When you get to the higher heights the technique kind of changes and that’s something I’ll have to work on for the final, I just have to practice those higher heights so I can get over them,” Foster said.
 
With only 10 competitors clearing 2.08m Foster gained automatic qualification to the day four final.
 
“Coming into the final I just hope to jump better then I did today and I guess that’s all I can hope for, a personal best would be great.”
 
The Townsville jumper may have had modest expectations coming into the IAAF World Youth Championships, Cali 2015, but, has taken everything in his stride and thriving in the conditions.
 
“I’m very excited, I wasn’t expecting to get anywhere; I came into this in 18^th place and to get top 10 is really good,” Foster said.
 
It wasn’t to be for fellow high jumper Joshua Connolly (QLD) who passed at 1.90m and 1.95m before failing to clear 2.00m on three attempts.
 
Ringwood sprint hurdler Danielle Shaw (VIC) finished fourth in semi-final three with a time of 13.59 (w: +0.7) to finish the championships in 11^th  place overall.
 
“That felt really good, I hit like the second last hurdle, but, came off it all right, it just wasn’t there at the end,” Shaw said.
 
Shaw will be better for the experience and post a break will turn her attention to qualifying for next years world junior championships.
 
“My heat was crazy when I was out there, it’s a massive stadium and I loved the atmosphere, it’s all I want, a good atmosphere and I’ll run good,” Shaw said.
 
With only eight girls clearing 3.90m Phillipa Hajdasz (VIC) has qualified for Saturday’s pole vault final.
 
The Ruyton athlete cleared attempts at 3.70m, 3.80m and 3.90m on the first attempt to progress from qualifying Group B.
 
“I was really nerves, the crowd was going crazy, it’s good and I’m so happy,” Hajdasz said.
 
“The other girls are really good, but, it gives me a little bit of confidence (going into the final).”

 

 

 

KEY INFORMATION:
What: IAAF World Youth Championships, Cali 2015
Where: Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero Stadium – Cali, Colombia (Google Map)
When: Wednesday 15 – Sunday 19 July 2015
Website: Visit here
Social media: @athsaust #greenandgold #wyccali15
Official Bulletin: Download Here

Twenty-one of Australia’s best under-18 athletes including sprint star Jack Hale (TAS) will join competitors from 140 countries at the IAAF World Youth Championships, Cali 2015 starting this Wednesday in Cali, Colombia.

From the simplicity of Hobart to being thrust upon the eyes of the athletics world, Australia’s under-18 100m record holder Hale will for the first time go head-to-head with the world’s best sprinters.

“I definitely feel like I can bring home the gold, that’s my goal here… to come away with the gold," Hale said.

17-year-old Hale will feature in his pet event the 100m on day one of competition at Estadio Olimpico Pascual Guerrero Stadium.

“Honestly I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I couldn't get a gold medal. I’ve just got to think about getting out of the heats, out of the semi’s then go for the final,” Hale said.

On current rankings Hale heads into Wednesday's heats ranked 12th on the 2015 world youth best performances with a time of 10.50 seconds (w: +0.1), but, with a personal best of 10.42 seconds will be among the challengers.

“Last December I ran 10.1 for the 100m, but, it was a bit to windy and, other then that I have run 10.4 legal, eight months ago; so its been a very long time since I’ve been running those good-times.”

“Every time I’ve gone to a national meet I’ve had windy conditions so it’s been a bit hard.”

Fellow speedster Jordan Shelley (NSW) will join Hale in the heats of the 100m – the first track event of the championships.

Shelley featured in the ‘showdown’ 100m final at the 2014 Australian All Schools Championships last December in Adelaide and clocked a wind assisted 10.44 seconds.

Team captain Darcy Roper (QLD) is also looking to take his strong domestic form in the long jump on to the international stage.

The QEII athlete will be confident he can produce the right result when it matters after a personal best of 7.91m at the 2015 Australian Athletics Championships in Brisbane last March. 

Roper heads into day one qualifying as the third ranked youth athlete in the world after leading the standings for the majority of 2015.

In early May, Cuban jumpers Maykel Demetrio Masso and Juan Miguel Echevarria both cleared eight metres to leap Roper into the top two spots.

World race walking representative Jemima Montag (VIC) produced a massive personal best of 22:04.30 in the 5000m walk at the team’s pre-departure meet in Brisbane last month. With previous experience at international level Montag will be well prepared to take on any challenges that come her way, in particular the Russian team that dominates the 2015 rankings.

IAAF World Race Walking Cup bronze medalist team member Clara Smith (QLD) will also feature in the day four final alongside Montag.

Victorian Ned Weatherly is another to watch in Cali, the Frankston athlete will compete in both the hammer throw and shot put.

17-year-old Weatherly will take on the might of Ukraine hammer thrower Hilb Piskunov who will go in hot favourite with a season’s best six metres over his closest rival.

With a personal best of 79.03m Weatherly could be the one to split Ukraine team-mates Piskunov and Mykhaylo Havrylyuk who has a season’s best of 78.58m.

In preparation for this week's championship the Australian team spent five days at the University of Miami (USA) to help climatise and adjust to the time zone before traveling to Cali for three days of training and the start of   competition.

“The team were fantastic in Miami, battling the heat and a bit of jet lag, but, the athletes were really positive and the staff were great getting them through the first couple of days,” Sara Mulkearns, National Junior High Performance Manager said.

“The athletes left Miami with a couple of good sessions under their belt, no injuries or sickness which was really good.”

“We made our way to Cali, which a bit of travel, but, have had plenty of time to recover from that; the hotel we are in is really good and there is plenty for the kids to engage in,” Mulkerns said.

“Training has been a big experience for the athletes, very busy, a lot of learning and waiting.”

Australian under-18 discus champion Samantha Peace (NSW) produced a huge personal best of 50.59m to claim the green and gold's first medal and BRONZE on day one of the IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia.

“Personal best in the qualifier, two metre personal best in the final, its unreal,” Peace said.

Having moved through the qualifying round with an equal personal best of 48.14m, Peace started the final with a throw of 41.63m before producing the round two massive bronze medal winning attempt.

“The first throw is always the nerves one then I just settle in and the circle is like my home, so I just get it done,” Peace said.

“A circle is a circle, even a block of cement, it doesn’t matter I just throw.”

It was a tense final round of attempts, with Alma Patricia Pollorena (MEX) the only one who could separate Peace from the bronze medal.

“I saw it hit the air and thought this is going and when it dropped short I couldn’t hold it, I tried to contain myself for my final throw, but, I just couldn’t, it was just awesome,” Peace said.

In windy conditions, it wasn’t to be for Jack Hale (TAS) in the 100m after the Australian under-18 record holder finished sixth with a time of 10.70 (w: -1.2) in semi-final two.

“It’s just not my day, I’ve still got the 200m to come,” Hale said post-race.

Cherrybrook sprinter Jordan Shelley (NSW) gave it everything too, but, with a time of 10.83 (w: -0.2) failed to progress to the final.

Earlier in the day both Hale and Shelley made it through to the semi-finals automatically.

“My block start was unreal, the crowed was so hyped, I’m a bit dead now, but, the feeling of it was unbelievable,” Shelley said.

Shelley progressed to the semi-finals with a time of 10.86 (w: -0.7) in heat six. Running out of lane one, Hale looked confortable in his first race on the international stage finishing second in heat two with a time of 10.66 (w: -1.2) behind Akanni Hislop (TTO) with a time of 10.53.

UTS Norths athlete Louis Stenmark (NSW) has secured automatic progression to the 400m semi-final by winning heat four in 47.17 seconds.

“I was a bit overwhelmed, I sort of forgot my race plan for a bit but got straight back to it after five metres,” Stenmark said.

“Coming off the final bend that guy was pretty far in front but I still felt like I’d get him, I’ve done the work.”

Stenmark will head into tomorrows semi-finals with the seventh quickest time.

“I felt really good about that, I didn’t have to exert myself 100 percent and I’m looking forward to the next round.”

It might not have the been the start Darcy Roper (QLD) was looking for with a foul on his first attempt, but the QEII long jumper rocketed to the top of the qualifying board with a second attempt of 7.88m and automatic progression to the final on day two of competition.

Ringwoo-based 100m hurdler Danielle Shaw (VIC) progressed from heat five in third position with a time of 13.69 (w: -0.1) for tomorrow’s semi-finals. The field will be chasing Alexis Duncan (USA) who ran world youth lead of 13.13 (w: -0.7) in heat one.

High jumper Clare Gibson (WA) sailed through her first four attempts at 1.64m, 1.69m, 1.73m and 1.77m before clearing 1.80m on the final attempt to advance to Friday's final.

In a highly competitive 3000m line-up, Annanbel McDermott (NSW) – 9:42.86 finished ninth and Amelia Mazza-Downie (VIC) – 10:00.05 in 14^th position will take plenty from their first experience competing on the international stage against the mighty Africans.

Day one action started in Cali with Ned Weatherly (VIC) in the shot put. The Frankston athlete’s best throw was his third attempt of 18.31m. 

Weatherly will now turn his attention to his more favoured event the hammer throw on day two of competition.

KEY INFORMATION:
What: IAAF World Youth Championships, Cali 2015
Where: Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero Stadium – Cali, Colombia (Google Map)
When: Wednesday 15 – Sunday 19 July 2015
Website: Visit here
Social media: @athsaust #greenandgold #wyccali15
Official Bulletin: Download Here

Join the conversation on social media with #greenandgold. Support our Australian team as they take on the world.

Athletics Australia – News