Athletics Australia – News – World Youth\’s conclude with another two top-8s for Australia

The fifth and final day of competition in hot and sunny Donetsk has added another two top-8 performances to Australia’s already impressive tally, with performances coming from Georgia Wassall (NSW) in the girl’s 800m and Amy McCormick (WA) in the girl’s 2000m steeplechase.

Wassall went out strongly from lane four and was sitting well in medal contention for much of the race. She put in a really gutsy effort but couldn’t quite hold on after the 600m mark, eventually crossing the line in fourth.

“It was a very very tough race. The first lap was definitely faster than I expected, it was fifty-eight which is really fast for me, but I am really proud of myself because I gave it my all. I tried to hold onto the top girls and yeah, I suffered in the last two hundred but I know I came here and left everything out on the track,” said Wassall after the race.

She came into these championships as the second fastest girl in the world this year with a season and personal best of 2:03.37 and Icelander Aníta Hinriksdóttir was the only competitor in the final with a better time (2:00.49).

“I didn’t think she would go that quick to be honest. I think because a lot of girls went out hard it kind of pushed her to go out hard too so I just tried to hang on and I think I did that really well,” Wassall said in regards to Hinriksdóttir who won the title in 2:01.13 which is a new championship record.

“I can’t believe I am top four in the world. I knew coming in here I was one of the favourites but to replicate near to my best I am so happy. It’s my first major world championship and I was feeling so nervous before my race I can’t believe I came away with fourth. I’m thrilled,” said Wassall.

Amy McCormick (WA) was the other Australian out on the track this afternoon competing for the girl’s 2000m steeplechase title.

At the gun McCormick got away to a strong start and positioned her self well in amongst the leading group. As predicted the Keyan’s and Ethiopian’s began to break away during that latter stages of the race, but McCormick was good enough to hang on for a very impressive sixth placing in a time of 6:44.45, less than six seconds off her lifetime best.

“The race is all a bit of a blur to be completely honest,” said McCormick. “I know for a fact for the first few laps I was a bit excited, probably went out a bit faster than normal but I didn’t want to see what happened to me in my heat and get boxed in at the beginning so I kind of knew I had to get out there straight away.”

On Friday morning McCormick ran a time of 6:52.50 in her heat, placing third to automatically qualify with the seventh fastest time overall for this afternoon’s final.

“When the other girl passed me I tried to hold onto her as long as I could knowing it would make my life easier and in that last lap I did everything I could with my dead legs and tried to make sure that girl didn’t catch me at the end,” said McCormick.

First and second places were taken out by the Kenyan competitors and third and fourth by the Ethiopians, with Chepngetich winning in a time of 6:14.60. Italian Nicole Reina was the only other girl to finish in front of McCormick.

“I feel over the moon [with my sixth place]. Everyone tells you top eight, but I knew I was capable of top six, so to complete that is the biggest relief,” said McCormick.

In other highlights, the entire Australian team was on hand to celebrate in style as Matthew Denny (Qld) received the gold medal for his efforts in the boy’s discus throw final last night.

At the close of competition, the Australian team of twenty athletes has delivered an amazing 12 top eight performances at these IAAF World Youth Championships:

Yasenaca Denicaucau (NSW) – girl’s discus throw, 5^th

Matthew Denny (Qld) – boy’s hammer throw, 3^rd

Nina Kennedy (WA) – girl’s pole vault, 5^th (equal)

Mackenzie Little (NSW) – girl’s javelin throw, 1^st

Eleanor Patterson (Vic) – girl’s high jump, 1^st

Hannah Joye (Qld) – girl’s high jump, 7^th

Nathan Brill (Vic) – boy’s 10,000m walk, 5^th

Aliyah Johnson (Qld) – heptathlon, 4^th

Alysha Burnett (NSW) – heptathlon, 5^th

Matthew Denny (Qld) – boy’s discus throw, 1^st

Amy McCormick (WA) – girl’s 2000m steeplechase, 6^th

Georgia Wassall (NSW) – girl’s 800m, 4^th

The haul of three gold medals is equal to our best ever effort with the team that went Debrecen (HUN) in 2001 also producing three world youth champions.

The final medal table has Australia sitting fourth with three gold, no silver and a bronze behind Jamaica in first (6,0,2), Kenya second (4,3,4) and Ethiopia third (3,3,2).

 

Athletics Australia – News