Athletics Australia – News – Pearson to spearhead Aussie sprints & hurdles charge

Twenty-two of Australia’s sprinters and hurdlers will blast out of the blocks at the XIX Commonwealth Games next month, with Olympic 100m hurdles silver medallist Sally Pearson one of 14 athletes taking to the start line solo when competition kicks off on October 3.

Heading to the sub-continent in blistering form, Pearson only a fortnight ago won gold in 12.65 (w: -0.5) over Diamond Race winner Lolo Jones (USA) at the Continental Cup before scoring two points in the 100m hurdles (12.85) and 150m (16.86) at the Great North City Games this past weekend.

A regular fixture in the 100m hurdles at the IAAF Diamond League, Pearson has improved dramatically since placing eighth (12.83, w: +2.0) in her hurdles return at the New York (USA) instalment, the 24-year-old since placing third in Monaco (MON), second in London (GBR) and Brussels (BEL) as well as first in a season best 12.57 (w: +0.2) in Stockholm (SWE).

Hayley Butler will join Pearson on the start list, the 26-year-old bursting back onto the athletics scene after taking two years off to give birth to her son. Resuming training in October 2009, Butler has gone onto set new personal bests across 100m (11.82 w: +0.4)) and 200m (23.72 w: +1.3) and win the 100m hurdles crown at the Go for 2&5 88^th Australian Athletics Championships in April.

Whilst New Delhi will be Butler’s first appearance on the international stage, 400m hurdlers Lauren Boden and Brendan Cole will don the green and gold at the Commonwealth Games for the second time.

As a 17-year-old Boden placed ninth overall at the 2006 Games, the now 22-year-old this year taking victory three times on the Australian Athletics Tour before taking home the 400m hurdles crown at the Australian Athletics Championships. Back to back personal bests in Shizuoka (55.49) and Osaka (55.25) followed shortly after before placing fifth in 55.30 at the Continental Cup in Split (CRO).

Cole edged out Flame team mate Tristan Thomas to win the 400m hurdles title in April, the 27-year-old then lining up in Japan clocking 50.36 and 49.85 in Shizuoka and Osaka respectively. Competing at the Continental Cup, Cole placed seventh in a time of 50.37.

Meanwhile in the sprints, Cole and Boden’s training partner Melissa Breen will join Aaron Rouge-Serret in the 100m.

Competing at all five Australian Athletics Tour meets earlier this year, Breen took victories across 100m at the Australia Cup, Brisbane Athletics Classic, Briggs Athletics Classic and Melbourne Track Classic. Stopping the clock at 11.50 (w: +0.2), the 20-year-old was crowned national champion only a month later before taking her campaign to Europe where she has competed in Rieti (ITA), Milan (ITA) and Newcastle (GBR).

Rouge-Serret took Perth by storm to open his 2010 campaign, the 22-year-old returning from a hamstring injury with personal bests at the Western Australian Athletics Championships across 100m (10.17, w: +1.8) and 200m (20.82, w: +1.4) before winning gold across the shorter distance in 10.32 (w: +0.4) at the Australian Athletics Championships. Third (10.52, w: +0.6) place in Lucerne (SUI) last month was followed this past weekend with second at the Great North City Games in a time of 10.30 (w: +3.5).

In the 400m, Ben Offereins will join world championships bronze medal winning 4x400m relay team mates Sean Wroe and Joel Milburn. A new personal best of 44.86 at the Sydney Track Classic was quickly followed by the national crown at his home track for Offereins, the West Australian followed across the line at the Australian Athletics Championships by Milburn (3^rd, 45.75) and Wroe (4^th, 45.98).

The trio will be joined by Cole and up and coming sprinter Kevin Moore in the 4x400m relay, the women’s team to be lead by five time Commonwealth Games representative Tamsyn Lewis alongside Boden, Jody Henry, Pirrinee Steinert and Olivia Tauro.

Rounding out the team, veteran Patrick Johnson will join Rouge-Serret, Isaac Ntiamoah, Jacob Groth and Matt Davies in the 4x100m relay.

The opening ceremony will be held on Sunday, October 3 with athletics competition underway from Wednesday, October 6.

Stay tuned to athletics.com.au for all your Commonwealth Games updates.

XIX Commonwealth Games
New Delhi (IND)
October 3 – 14

Men (45)
100m: Aaron Rouge-Serret (22, Vic)
200m: Matt Davies (25, Qld)
400m: Ben Offereins (24, WA), Joel Milburn (24, NSW), Sean Wroe (25, Vic)
800m: Lachlan Renshaw (23, NSW), Ryan Gregson (20, NSW)
1500m: Gregson, Mitch Kealey (26, Qld), Jeremy Roff (26, NSW)
5000m: Ben St Lawrence (28, NSW), Collis Birmingham (25, Vic), David McNeill (23, Vic)
10,000m: Birmingham
Marathon: Martin Dent (31, ACT), Jeff Hunt (27, NSW), Michael Shelley (26, Qld)
3000m steeplechase: Youcef Abdi (32, NSW)
400m hurdles: Brendan Cole (28, ACT)
High jump: Liam Zamel-Paez (21, Qld)
Pole vault: Steve Hooker (27, WA)
Long jump: Fabrice Lapierre (26, NSW), Chris Noffke (22, Qld), Mitchell Watt (22, Qld)
Shot put: Scott Martin (27, Vic), Dale Stevenson (22, Vic)
Discus throw: Benn Harradine (27, Vic), Martin, Julian Wruck (18, Qld)
Hammer throw: Tim Driesen (26, Vic), Simon Wardhaugh (24, Qld)
Javelin throw: Jarrod Bannister (25, Vic)
20km walk: Luke Adams (33, NSW), Chris Erickson (28, Vic), Jared Tallent (25, Vic)
T46 100m: Gabriel Cole (18, SA), Heath Francis (28, ACT), Simon Patmore (22, Qld)
T54 1500m: Richard Colman (25, Vic), Kurt Fearnley (29, NSW), Jake Lappin (17, Vic)
F32/34/52 shot put: Damien Bowen (25, ACT), Hamish MacDonald (35, ACT)
4x100m relay: Davies, Jacob Groth (24, NSW), Patrick Johnson (37, Qld), Isaac Ntiamoah (27, NSW), Rouge-Serret
4x400m relay: Cole, Milburn, Kevin Moore (19, NSW), Offereins, Wroe

Women (30)
100m: Melissa Breen (19, ACT)
1500m: Kaila McKnight (24, Vic)
5000m: Eloise Wellings (27, NSW)
10,000m: Wellings
100m hurdles: Hayley Butler (26, NSW), Sally Pearson (nee McLellan, 23, Qld)
400m hurdles: Lauren Boden (21, ACT)
Marathon: Lisa Flint (25, NSW), Lisa Weightman (31, Vic)
High jump: Ellen Pettitt (24, WA), Petrina Price (26, NSW)
Pole vault: Amanda Bisk (24, WA), Alana Boyd (26, WA), Liz Parnov (16, WA)
Shot put: Joanne Mirtschin (29, ACT)
Discus throw: Dani Samuels (22, NSW)
Hammer throw: Karyne Di Marco (32, NSW), Bronwyn Eagles (29, NSW), Gabrielle Neighbour (26, Vic)
Javelin throw: Kimberley Mickle (25, WA), Kathryn Mitchell (27, Vic)
20km walk: Claire Tallent (28, SA), Cheryl Webb (33, NSW)
T37 100m: Jodi Elkington (16, Vic)
F32-34/52/53 shot put: Louise Ellery (33, Vic), Brydee Moore (19, Vic)
4x400m relay: Boden, Jody Henry (25, WA), Tamsyn Lewis (31, Vic), Pirrenee Steinert (25, NSW), Olivia Tauro (20, NSW)

Athletics Australia – News