<7.12.06> - Two New Australian Champions For Tasmania


07 Dec 2006

Athletics Tasmania

Governing Body for Track and Field in Tasmania

 

 

 

MEDIA RELEASE

 

TWO NEW AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONS FOR TASMANIA

 

Tasmania has two new national champions following day one of the 2006 Australian All Schools and Youth Athletics Championships in Sydney today.

Fourteen year old Huw Peacock set the ball rolling with a marvellous come from behind victory in the under 15 hammer championship. After being in second place for most of the competition, the Eastern Suburbs athlete produced a huge throw in round six of 52.53 metres to take the gold medal and set a championships record.

Later in the day Australian junior representative, Daniel Coleman (Old Virgilians) showed his rapidly developing talent with an emphatic victory in the under 18 5000 metres walk. After walking conservatively over the first few laps, the Bagdad teenager drew away from the field to win by a margin of more than 50 seconds.

Hamish Peacock (ES) almost emulated the gold medal winning achievements of his younger brother, when he took the silver medal in the under 17 discus. In almost the reverse of the circumstances, which led to Huw’s triumph, Hamish after taking the lead in the ceond half of the competition, was passed by Victorian Taylor Hunt in the sixth and final round to lose by just 34 cm.

In track heats, a number of Tasmanians qualified for finals including Tyler Heron (under 15 200 metres hurdles), Clive Reekie (under 14 800 metres), Nathan Morey (under 17 800 metres) and James Hay (under 16 400 metres).

Athletics Tasmania President, Brian Roe was full of praise for the team,

“Our athletes really looked as though they belonged out there today. They produced a host of personal bests and were shown the way by one of the youngest members of the team, 13 year old Lauren Free who set a new state age record in the triple jump.

“It was very encouraging to see our athletes, many of whom are at their first Nationals, performing so confidently.”

In other finals contested today, the young Tasmanians held their own with some encouraging top eight performances:

James Guest                    U18 Discus                     (4)     44.83

Lizzy Malcomson            U18 5000m Walk            (5)     27:19.68

Luke Geelan                    U16 2000m Steeple         (5)     6:29.05

Lauren Free                     U14 Triple Jump             (6)     11.11m

Kenna Reid-Clarke U15 2000m Steeple         (6)     6:43.19

Jillian Lyall                      U15 2000m Steeple         (7)     7:45.44

Oscar Phillips                  U17 2000m Steeple         (7)     6:34.89

Daniel Boatwright            U16 Hammer                   (7)     40.30m

Sam Morse                     U15 Hammer                   (8)     31.02m

 

Sydney – 7 December 2006

 

Further information: Brian Roe                                                      0438 604 571

                                    Richard Welsh                                               0409 820248