Day 2 wrap from the UTAS Australian All Schools and Youth Athletics Championships
05 Dec 2009
Brooke Stratton & Nicholas Hough of New South Wales have been the brightest stars on day two of the 2009 UTAS Australian All Schools & Youth Championships taking home multiple medals at the Hobart meet.
After qualifying fastest in the heats for the boy's under 18 110m hurdles yesterday, Hough went on to win the event today in 13:72, a just one tenth of a second outside the meet record.
Continuing his medal spree, Hough and his teammates representing New South Wales took silver in the boy's under 18 4 x 100m behind team Victoria.
Hough now looks ahead to Australian Junior Championships in the hope of qualifying for the Youth Olympics in Singapore.
"I just wanted a PB, so it was great to get that and the gold medal," he said.
"You never really know with a relay but the boys were in form today so to take silver was great too."
"I've got state and national championships coming up and I'm hoping to qualify for the Youth Olympics in Singapore so we'll see how we go."
In an equally brilliant day, Stratton leapt 6.02m in the girl's under 17 long jump after running a new meet record of 27:27 in the girl's under 17 200m hurdles to win both events in strong company.
Victorian Joel Bee qualified fastest for the boy's under 18 400m in a time of 48:92 ahead of teammate Kevin Rassool (49:55) and Western Australian representative Keron Russell (49:47).
Rassool's heat was not without drama, however, as he fell on the approach to the finish line just securing second place and automatic qualification for the final ahead of Sam Martyn from New South Wales by 0.03 of a second.
NSW's Chloe Jamieson qualified fastest for the girl's under 16 90m hurdles in a time of 12:95 and set a new meet record winning the girl's under 16 200m hurdles in a time of 27:25.
Although just shy of his personal best, Brodie Cross cleared 4.50m to take gold in the boy's under 16 pole vault ahead of fellow Victorian Jack Ingram.
Cross' victory comes ahead of further competition in the boy's under 18 pole vault tomorrow where he will compete above his age group confidently on the back of today's result.
Cross' coach Mark Stewart has high expectations of his charge, "he jumped well today in tricky conditions and if he can come out with that tomorrow he will be hard to beat. He's a great competitor and his technique is developing beautifully."
After five consecutive personal best jumps, Queenslander Chantelle McGoldrick was crowned the under 16 girl's pole vault champion.
"I just wanted to jump a new personal best of 3.30m so it was pretty good," she said.
"I train at the Gold Coast Victory and there a few of us up there so it's really good for the team.
Host state Tasmania tasted gold in the girl's under 15 high jump. Pre-event favourite Kaitlin Morgan leapt 1.75m to take the title ahead of Queenslander Ellen Pukallus and Josie Nichol of NSW.
Late in the day another strong local performance came in the boy's under 15 3000m. In an outstanding run, Jacob Birtwhistle ran away in the last 400m to an impressive victory in a time of 9:08.60. Reminiscent of a young Craig Mottram, Birtwhistle is also triathlete but after adding the 3000m title to yesterday's steeplechase victory, he seems destined for a strong athletics future.
"I felt better than I thought I would. I felt pretty sore this morning after the steeple yesterday but as soon as the gun went off I just felt really quick" Birtwhilstle said of his race.
The fourteen year old has a big program concluding, with the under 15 boys 1500m tomorrow.
"I've got the 1500m tomorrow but I don't know how I'll go, I think I'll be pretty tired so I'll give it my best shot and see how I go. Dylan Nankiville from Queensland runs a pretty quick time, I think he'll be hard to beat," he said.
Off the track, the fastest Australian 100m runner in history Patrick Johnson and fellow Australian Flame, 4 x 400m bronze medallist Tristan Thomas signed autographs and mingled with competitors to promote the National Junior Championships being held in Sydney in March 2010.
Thomas arrived at the track a day late after gallantly offering up his seat to help a group of athletes get to Hobart in time for their events at the championships. One of these athletes, Melissa-Maree Farrington, was today victorious in the under 15 200m hurdles and was, ironically, presented her medal by the smiling World Championships bronze medallist.
Tara Whitehead will feature in the girl's under 18 long jump as part of tomorrow's events together with World Youth Championships representative Jordan Williamsz in the boy's under 18 800m.