Athletics Australia – News – World record opens 89th Australian Athletics Championships

Paralympian Carlee Beattie has eclipsed her own F46 long jump world record on day one of the 89^th Australian Athletics Championships as Flame stars Sally Pearson, Fabrice Lapierre and Mitchell Watt cruised through their rounds to provide an exciting prelude to a big weekend of athletics action at Melbourne Olympic Park.

Soaring 5.89m (w: +1.1), the dual world championships medallist Beattie (QAS) only a month ago set the previous benchmark of 5.84m at the Sydney Track Classic, with today's result further sign of continuing progress in her now preferred event.

"It's so awesome, I am really excited – things are coming together nicely," Beattie said.

"To be honest not much in my training program has changed, maybe I am focussing that bit more on long jump but for the most part I am just working as best I can to improve.

 "Europe is the next stop, we are headed there in July and hopefully a bigger jump could happen there with the magic six metres somewhere in my future."

Beattie was joined on the podium by Jess Gallagher (VIS, 5.59m, w: +2.3) and Stephanie Schweitzer (NSW, 4.81m, w: -0.1).

Meanwhile in the men's long jump, the world and world indoor championships bronze medallist Watt (QAS) was joined by AIS scholarship holder Robbie Crowther (AIS, 7.94m) on the automatic qualifiers list thanks to a 7.78m leap in the first round of competition.

Lapierre (NSWIS), who adjusted his run up after a 7.34m leap on his first attempt, then soared 7.74m in the second round – 24 centimetres beyond the automatic advance mark – to move into the final and setup an exciting showdown between the trio on Sunday.

In other field highlights:

–          Tim Driesen (ACT) won the men's hammer throw title after heaving 68.63m in the first round of competition, with Simon Wardhaugh (QLD, 68.59m) second and Mark Dickson (NSW, 62.67m) third.

–          IPC Athletics World Championships representative Nicholas Hum won the men's ambulant long jump after soaring 6.11m (w: 0.0).

On track, Australian Athletics Tour sprints/hurdles champion Pearson (QAS) clocked 11.69 (w: -1.3) to qualify fastest for the women's 100m final ahead of Melissa Breen (ACT, 11.80, w: -0.9) and Charlotte Van Veenendaal (QLD, 11.80, w: -0.7).

Looking to become the first athlete since Pam Ryan to win three individual gold medals at the same national championships, Pearson and her seven race program has been setup so that she can test herself.

"I wanted a challenge, especially with the sometimes less than perfect conditions for sprinting here and the three race program will do that for me," Pearson said.

"With 200m the furthest I run I am confident that I can recover pretty quick which is good, especially with the gap between the two finals on Sunday being only forty minutes.

"I'm looking forward to hopefully creating some history – that's what is really motivating me this weekend."

Pearson's program continues tomorrow with the semi-final and final for the women's 100m, before heats and a final in the women's 200m and 100m hurdles on Sunday.

In other highlights:

–          Dual world championships gold medallist Kelly Cartwright clocked 17.04 to advance in the women's ambulant 100m, with the final to be held tomorrow.

–          Commonwealth Games silver medallist Sean Wroe (VIC, 47.29) advanced to the men's 400m semi-finals fastest, with John Steffensen (NSWIS, 47.40) and up and coming sprint sensation Steven Solomon (NSW, 47.41) hot on his heals.

–          Tamsyn Lewis (VIC) advanced through the rounds of the 400m (54.52) and 800m (2:05.75) to come one step closer to her 17^th national title.

–          James Kaan (NSW, 1:48.95), Ryan Foster (TAS, 1:48.95) and  James Gurr (NSW, 1:49.01) were the fastest three qualifiers in the men's 800m, with reigning champion Lachlan Renshaw (NSWIS, 1:49.99) fourth.

–          World junior championships representative Sasha Alexeenko (QLD, 51.54) and reigning national champion Lauren Boden (ACTAS, 56.74) qualified fastest for tomorrow night's 400m hurdles final.

Competition continues tomorrow at Melbourne Olympic Park as Craig Mottram and Jeff Riseley get set to battle it out in the men's 1500m heats before finals in the men's and women's 100m and 800m.

Australian discus record holder Benn Harradine headlines action from the throwers cage whilst on the runway Kane Brigg and Henry Frayne will duel in the men's triple jump.

89^th Australian Athletics Championships
Saturday, April 16: 4:30pm – 9:30pm
Sunday, April 17: 1:30am – 4:30pm
Melbourne Olympic Park
Melbourne, VIC

 Athletics Australia – News