Athletics Australia – News – Summer Universiade to welcome Australia\’s athletics team from today

Anticipation ahead of the 2013 Summer Universiade will reach fever pitch today, as Australia’s athletics team arrives in the host city of Kazan (RUS) ahead of the opening ceremony this Saturday 6 July.

Selected to compete alongside a green and gold contingent of more than 200 athletes, the squad of 19 includes three national champions, and a further ten medallists from the Qantas Australian Athletics Championships.

Taking to the track in the men’s 400m is Matt Lynch (NSW), with the 27-year-old heading to Russia after earlier this year winning silver in the men’s 200m (21.77, w: -3.3) at the New South Wales Championships before running a season best of 46.53 in the final of the men’s 400m at the Qantas Australian Athletics Championships.

Lynch’s selection is his first to an Australian team for an international championship and the opportunity to compete individually against some of the world’s best students is something driving him to the line.

“I am so keen to get the championships underway. This will be the biggest competition that I have had an individual spot at and as much as I am keen to see summer again, it has been raining so much in training on the Central Coast these past few weeks, I am really pumped to have a chance to run on my own,” Lynch said.

“I think that the Australian team will be very successful. We’ve got the relay in the mix now too which is great, and I’ll be surprised if we don’t come away with at least a couple of meals. Everyone is obviously going to have a real crack and give it his or her best.

“I’m so proud to have the chance to don the green and gold, and I’m hoping, like I’m sure the whole team is, that the World University Games will be a stepping stone to other major championships in the future.”

Entry lists for the 400m see Lynch set to start alongside Alex Carew (Vic), while in the women’s event 2010 IAAF World Junior Championships representative Caitlin Sargent (Qld) will compete. Sprint action will also welcome Tom Gamble (Qld, 100m) and IAAF World Junior Championships silver medallist Nick Hough (NSW, 100m, 200m).

Also on track, Brittany McGowan (Qld) and James Nipperess (NSW) will carry the middle distance mantle in the women’s 1500m and men’s 3000m steeplechase respectively and Australian championship silver medallist Ian Dewhurst (NSW) will start in the men’s 400m hurdles. Shannon McCann (WA) and Brianna Beahan (WA), who won gold and silver at the Qantas Australian Athletics Championships, will compete in the women’s 100m hurdles.

Australian Flame Alwyn Jones (Vic) headlines action in the field, with the national triple jump champion looking to find a four-centimetre improvement on his season best of 16.81m to secure the B-Qualifier required for automatic selection to compete at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow.

Jessica Penney (ACT) and Ellen Pettit (Vic) will join him on the runway in the girl’s long jump and girl’s triple jump respectively. Nick Bojic (Qld) will compete in the men’s high jump, while the throws charge will feature Alix Kennedy (NSW) and Kim Mulhall (Vic), both competing in the girl’s discus throw.

Rounding out the Australian contingent are women’s 20km race walkers Rachel Tallent (Vic) and Stephanie Stigwood (Tas), as well as Sophie Stanwell (NSW) in the girl’s heptathlon, with the Sydney-sider laying claim to a personal best of 5556 from the Victorian Junior Athletics Championships earlier this year.

One of the largest sporting events in the world, the Summer Universiade have launched the careers of an abundance of track and field stars including Shirley Strickland (100m, 80m hurdles), Ralph Doubell (800m), Alison Inverarity (high jump), Emma George (pole vault) and Kylie Wheeler (heptathlon).

At the 2011 instalment of the Games in Shenzhen (CHN), the athletics team won two medals. Clocking 1:46.36, Lachlan Renshaw (NSW) delivered gold in the 800m, while IAAF World Championships relay medallist Sean Wroe (Vic) was third over the line in the men’s 400m in 45.93.

The Summer Universiade is held every two years under the banner of the International University Sports Federation. Athletics (track and field) has been a fixture of the competition schedule since the Games began in Turin (ITA) in 1959.

XXVII Summer Universiade 
Kazan (RUS)
July 6-17 2013
(Athletics: July 7-12)

MEN (8):
100m: Nick Hough (NSW), Tom Gamble (Qld)
200m: Nick Hough (NSW)
400m: Matt Lynch (NSW), Alex Carew (VIC)
400m hurdles: Ian Dewhurst (NSW)
3000m steeplechase: James Nipperess (NSW)
High jump: Nick Bojic (QLD)
Triple jump: Alwyn Jones (VIC)

WOMEN (11):
400m: Caitlin Sargent (QLD)
1500m:  Brittany McGowan (QLD)
100m hurdles: Shannon McCann (WA), Brianna Beahan (WA)
20km walk: Rachel Tallent (VIC), Stephanie Stigwood (TAS)
Long jump: Jessica Penney (ACT)
Triple jump:  Ellen Pettit (VIC)
Discus throw: Alix Kennedy (NSW), Kim Mulhall (VIC)
Heptathlon: Sophie Stanwell (NSW)

Australia’s IAAF Diamond League broadcaster EUROSPORT will be bringing you all the action from the Summer Universiade LIVE & EXCLUSIVE.
 
Viewing times (to occur 7-14 July 2013) are available at the online Eurosport Australia guide HERE.

 

Athletics Australia – News