Athletics Australia – News – Watt and Mottram win in London

Australian track and field stars Mitchell Watt (QLD) and Craig Mottram (VIC) have added a splash of green and gold to the winner’s list in London (GBR) this morning, with the duo taking out the men’s long jump and men’s 5000m respectively at Round 12 of the Samsung Diamond League.

Arriving in Crystal Palace as the new Australian record holder, Watt’s form has continued with the 23-year-old soaring a meet record 8.45m (w: +1.4) to win his third Diamond League event this year. Opening with a foul, the 2011 Australian champion Watt took a winning lead in round two before passing, jumping 8.22m (w: +1.0) and passing again in rounds five and six.

Watt now lays claim to the four biggest jumps this year thanks to 8.44m leaps in Shanghai (CHN) and at the Australian Athletics Championships, his national record 8.54m (w: +1.7) from Stockholm (SWE) last week and his winning mark at this event. 

Watt said: “To be honest my mind wasn't really focused on the comp today, I am just looking ahead to worlds. To jump an 8.40 again is good but I want to win gold in Daegu.”

“It’s great to be consistent though, I've jumped over 8.40m four times now and I’ll need to do at least the same to win the title. I actually think 8.60m will win and I'm confident I can do that.

“My goal this season was to jump 8.50m and I've done that. Now I've won a few Diamond League events and becoming world champion will close out the year perfectly.”

It was a battle of the Brits for the minor places as national record holder Chris Tomlinson and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Greg Rutherford jumped 8.30m (w: +2.2) and 8.19m (w: +0.8) for second and third respectively.

Watt now holds an impressive lead in the Diamond Race with 12 points, while African champion Godfrey Mokoena (RSA), who struggled for 6th (7.93m, w: +1.5m) today, sits second on six points.

On track, Mottram’s performance was commanding with the national 5000m record holder making light work of his rivals to cross the line and win in 13:23.97.

Joined in a lead pack of three by pace maker Titus Mbishei (KEN, DNF), who remained in the race for almost four kilometres, and Briton Chris Thompson (4th, 1:34.31), Mottram sat comfortably on the shoulder of the Kenyan for the opening 3000m. Thompson moved to the front to head through 4000m in 10:47.96 before the Australian put his foot down to break away and win by almost the length of the straight.

Mottram said: “I’ve got a lot of work to do, but I’m back and able to train and I’m out here racing so it’s moving in the right direction.”

“I was just hoping to get some practice for Daegu. Semis at majors can be tricky races – slow early and then fast – a little bit like tonight. I wanted to do what I’m going to need to do to make the world championships final. Everything else is a bonus.

"Just to come and run at Crystal Palace again is great and if I make the final at worlds that will be fantastic. If I don’t I will get going again and look to London.”

In other Australian results:

–         Collis Birmingham (VIC) placed third in the men’s 3000m (7:54.04),a non-Diamond League event, while compatriot Ben St Lawrence (NSW) was 7th in 7:52.96

–     Seventeen-time Australian champion Tamsyn Manou (VIC) crossed the line in 2:01.97 for second to Jana Hartmann (second, 2:01.97) of Germany in an invitational women’s 800m. Heading through the bell in 58.35, Manou entered the straight alongside the eventual winner before being narrowly edged out for victory. 

–     Clocking 8:27.88, Beijing Olympics finalist and IAAF world championships bound Youcef Abdi (NSW) placed 5th in the men’s 3000m steeplechase. Willy Komen (KEN) won the event in a time of 8:21.40 and was joined on the podium by Brian Olinger (USA, second, 8:23.36) and Mohammed-Khaled Balebbas (FRA, third, 8:24.63).

–     Katy Parrish (VIC, T38, third) and Jodi Elkington (ACT, T37, 8th) stopped the clock in 15.00 (w: -1.1) and 15.55 respectively in the women’s T36/38 100m for athletes with cerebral palsy. The event was one of two events for athletes with a disability on day one of the Aviva London Grand Prix with further competition to continue tomorrow.

In other Aviva London Grand Prix results:

–     Diamond Race leader Olha Saladukha (UKR) took out the women’s triple jump with a best mark of 14.80m (w: +0.8). Kazak Olga Rypakova was second (14.49m, w: +0.8) and Dana Veldakova of Slovakia third (14.48m, w: +0.9, SB).

–     German Christina Obergfoll continued her strong Diamond League campaign with a meet record throw of 66.74m to win the women’s javelin throw, with Olympic champion Barbora Spotakova (CZE, 66.41m) taking second.

–     Local favourite Jenny Meadows clocked a season best 1:58.60 to win the women’s 800m ahead of current world lead Kenia Sinclair (JAM, second, 1:59.16).

–     James Kirani of Grenada set a new world lead of 44.61 to win the men’s 400m.

–     Jamaican Yohan Blake won the men’s 100m, a non-Diamond League event, in a season best 9.95 (w: -1.6), while his fellow Jamaican Nesta Carter (10.01) was second and American Michael Rodgers (10.04) third.

Competition continues at the Aviva London Grand Prix tomorrow as Beijing Olympics silver medallist and three-time 2011 Diamond League victor Sally Pearson flies the Australian flag in the women’s 100m hurdles.

To view and download results from day one of Round 12 of the Samsung Diamond League, please click here.

Athletics Australia – News