<12.12.06> - Tasmanian Interest In Zatopek Classic

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13 Dec 2006

MEDIA RELEASE

TASMANIAN INTEREST IN ZATOPEK CLASSIC 

There will be plenty of Tasmanian interest in Thursday night’s Telstra Zatopek Classic at Olympic Park in Melbourne with nine local athletes selected in the final fields for the meet.

Husband and wife distance team, Kim and Jenny Gillard (North Launceston) will compete in the time honoured 10000 metres events, both with excellent chances of figuring in the medals of races which also double as this season’s Australian championships for the distance.

North West’s Graham Hicks who narrowly missed Commonwealth Games selection in the discus returns to high level competition for the first time since, whilst club mate Nicole Perry will line up in a women’s 800 metres field which features Tamsyn Lewis in her first serious hit out over that distance for some time.

Grant Page (Northern Suburbs) and Richard Welsh (NW) will start in the 1500 metres against Burnie Ten winner, Collis Birmingham, whilst Libby Clarke (Newstead) gets a start in the Lisa Ondieki 3000 metres for junior women, one of the feature events on the programme.

Carmen Miller (NL) is also likely to take her place in a small but quality field in the women’s triple jump.

But perhaps the most interesting Tasmanian inclusion in the meet is rapidly emerging 400 metres star, Sam Crosswell (Sandy Bay), who received a last minute invitation from Meet Director, David Gynther following a slashing run over the distance in which he set a new personal best in the Schools Knockout National Final in Sydney last week.

He will take his place in what is probably the strongest field of the night, given the inclusion of Olympic relay silver medallist Mark Ormrod, Casey Vincent and last season’s big improver, Sean Wroe.

Melbourne – 12 December 2006

Further information: Brian Roe                                                      0438 604 571