Australia Athletics – News – A.J.A.C Day 3: Hough and Solomon win gold at Australian Juniors

Sprinting sensations Nicholas Hough and Steven Solomon have today won gold at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships, with the duo blistering the straight to win the boy’s under 20 110m hurdles and the boy’s under 20 400m.

Clocking 13.73 (w: +1.7), a 0.3 second improvement on his personal best, Hough edged out world junior championships finalist Mitch Tysoe (NSW, second, 13.95) to take line honours and is now beginning to feel comfortable with the 91.4 centimetre hurdle height.

“I’ve only run about seven or eight races at this height so I’ve been getting used to them, but I think after this race I can say that it is starting to work,” Hough said.

“Although not technically very sound, my race was fast, it was the first time I have gone sub-14 seconds and that was the aim for this season.”

Hough, a 2010 Youth Olympic Games gold medallist, will now shift his attention to boy’s under 20 100m and 200m, with his recent experience against senior athletes something he will be drawing on when taking to the start line.

“I’m honestly just looking for quick times in the 100 and 200, the depth in the event is good and with so many New South Wales athletes up and about I am definitely looking forward to it.”

“I’ve been lucky enough to run against the senior guys this season and I hope that that will bode well for this weekend.”

Meanwhile in the 400m, Steven Solomon, the surprise winner of the event at last week’s IAAF Melbourne Track Classic, crossed the line in 47.30 to win ahead of Peter Amor (NSW, second, 47.85) and Kevin Rassool (VIC, third, 48.33).

Entering the event as the fastest qualifier, Solomon was challenged on the back straight as a result of a strong head wind.  Coming out of the bend to take the lead, Solomon put his foot down to break away across the last 100 metres.

“I stuck to my usual race plan today, but was challenged by how windy it was after the first bend so I tapered off a bit and had a bit more coming home,” Solomon said.

“I’ve been a bit sick coming into the race, I haven’t trained since the Melbourne meet, and my time suffered, but for the most part I am pretty happy.

“Now I just need to get back up to 100% for next weekend, I’m so excited by the experience in the field and am not putting pressure on it, I’m content with running and will use it as I build for the future.”

Traditionally a hurdler, Solomon, who won the under 17 400m gold medal at the Australian All Schools Championships, has taken unbelievably well to the flat 400m this domestic season and will next weekend join Hough on the start list for the Sydney Track Classic.

Dane Bird Smith also excelled on track, eclipsing the 1996 Australian under 20 10,000m walk record of Nathan Deakes by winning the event in a time of 41:02.08.

“Getting the Australian record tonight was my goal, to be honest at 7 kilometres I thought I would miss it but I picked up my pace towards the end and came away with a ripper result,” Bird Smith said.

The winner of the 10,000m road walk title in Hobart a month ago, Bird Smith was a top eight finisher at the world junior championships in 2010.

In other track highlights:

–          Anna Laman (NSW) guaranteed her world youth championships selection by winning the girl’s under 18 800m in a personal best time of 2:06.49 and be joined on the podium by Jenny Blundell (NSW, second, 2:08.66) and Rochelle Kennedy (VIC, third, 2:09.63).

–          Caitlin Sargent blazed home to clock 53.57 and win the gold medal in the girls’ under 20 400m ahead of world junior championships representative Anneleise Rubie (NSW, second, 54.08).

–          Victorian Matthew Beer (3:50.00) won the boy’s under 20 1500m in an unbelievable sprint finish, narrowly beating Kane Grimster (3:50.05) who clocked 0.05 seconds slower for silver.

–          Youth Olympics Games silver medallist Michelle Jenneke (NSW) stopped the clock at 14.05 (w: -0.6) to win the girl’s under 20 100m hurdles and be joined on the podium by Talissa Scott (NSW, second, 14.71) and Natalie Ferris (NSW, third, 14.91).

Meanwhile in the field, Monique Cilione (VIC) heaved 52.16m to win the girl’s under 18 javelin throw and gain automatic selection to the IAAF world youth championships in Lille (FRA).

Breaking through the 50 metre barrier for the first time, Cilione boasted six qualifiers coming into today’s competition with her 3 metre personal best coming in the penultimate round.

“I’m so stoked, I have been working towards this for so long and it proves to myself that I’ve got something going,” Cilione said.

“My first throw was good, which is unusual for me but things dropped off but I relaxed coming into the last couple of rounds and couldn’t believe my 52 metre throw, it’s just unreal.

“I’ve never been overseas before so France is going to be great for so many reasons and the chance to compete for Australia is awesome.”

The silver medal was won by Queenslander Wasie Toolis who heaved 47.12m and bronze by Winifred Parker (QLD, 38.70m).

Toolis returned to the runway for the under 20 event, with her best mark of 48.08m a new personal best and her second world youth championships qualifier.

Brodie Cross (VIC) stole the show on the runway as he cleared 5.05m, a new personal best, to win the boy’s under 18 pole vault and eclipse the Victorian record held by Olympic and world champion Steve Hooker.

Booking his ticket to the world youth championships in the process, Cross’ result comes only one week after setting a then personal best of 5.00m to win bronze at the Victorian Open State Championships.

In other field highlights:

–          Aged on 15, Eleanor Patterson (VIC) cleared an unbelievable 1.82m to set a new meet record and win the girl’s under 16 high jump.

–          Ellen Pearce (WA) cleared a personal best 4.05m to win the girl’s under 20 pole vault.

–          Naa Anang of Queensland set a new meet record of 6.04m to take home gold in the girl’s under 17 long jump.

Competition continues at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre tomorrow, with Hugh Donovan, Jarrod Geddes and Josh Clarke all battling it out for world youth championships selection in the boy’s under 18 100m.

To view the event timetable and download current start lists, please click here.

For the first time, the program at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships will be electronic, with Athletics Australia doing its bit for the environment through the provision of a program which can be downloaded to any smart phone, iPad, E-Reader or computer

To download the program, please click here.

Tickets are available at the gate ($10 – adults, $5 – under 18).

Australian Junior Athletics Championships
Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre
Thursday, March 10 – Monday, March 14 2011

Australia  Athletics – News