<11.02.07> - More National Success For Hodgetts And Peacock
13 Feb 2007
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MEDIA RELEASE |
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MORE NATIONAL SUCCESS FOR HODGETTS AND PEACOCK
There was more medal success for rising young Tasmanian throwers, Todd Hodgetts (Newstead) and Hamish Peacock (TIS/Eastern Suburbs) at the Telstra Australian Under 20 and Under 23 Athletics Championships in
Their silver and bronze respectively in the under 20 men’s shot, were amongst six medals won by the Tasmanian squad on day three of the Championships.
It finished a successful weekend for both young men who earlier in the Championships had become national junior champions in the hammer and javelin.
Hodgetts also journeyed back to Launceston with a string of new state records in his pocket.
Others to collect silver from the victory dais were Anita
Bronze medals went to Sam Crosswell (
A national junior record in the shot put to Dani Samuels, highlighted today’s action.
Her throw of 16.19 metres broke the mark set in
It was a significant personal best for the world junior discus champion who rarely trains specifically for what is very much her secondary event.
It capped a very successful three days for the throwers, who have provided a feast of quality performances at the Championships and in the Tasmania’s Forest Industries Graeme Briggs Memorial on Friday night.
Samuels was not the only one of the group to impress today with Lisa Craig (under 23 hammer – 53.48m), Emanuele Fuamatu (under 20 shot – 17.64m) and Raff Laurins (under 23 discus – 49.34m) each drawing some attention in their victories.
On the track, rising star Kurt Mulcahy made up for the disappointment of his fall just metres from the finish of Saturday’s 400 metres final, by winning a quality under 20 men’s 200 metres.
The NSW Institute of Sport scholarship holder, was powerfully away as usual and built up a good lead before 400m champ, Dylan Grant (QAS) drew to his shoulder half way down the straight. But on this occasion Mulcahy maintained both his momentum and his footing, to hold the challenger at bay, winning in 21.44 into a headwind of 0.9 metres per second, with Grant just five one hundredths behind.
Crosswell was not far away with a time of 21.67.
Kiwi Monique Williams completed an impressive double by winning the women’s under 23 400 metres in 54.04 whilst South Australian, Clay Watkins picked up the men’s event in 47.83.
International visitors obviously enjoyed the conditions, which once again were almost perfect for athletics.
It has been a particularly good three days for the rapidly developing Papua New Guinea squad which has surprised many observers with some highly competitive performances most notably from Toea Wisil in the under 20 age group, who today added the 200 metres title to a gold and silver won in the 100 and 400 metres respectively.
Victorian Jeffery Riseley once again demonstrated his undoubted potential at middle distance with an effortless victory in the under 23 1500 metres in a time of 3:52.66.
It took a faster time to win a more hotly contested under 20 championship, in which Matt Gibney (Vic) came from behind with 250 metres to go to hold off a determined David Bradney (NSW), to win his second title for the weekend in 3:50.04.
The women’s metric miles also created interest for the future with Victorian Melissa Duncan (under 20) and Katie French (under 23) victorious in 4:23.99 and 4:24.63 respectively.
The 400 metres hurdles finals were all contested this morning with the most impressive performances coming in the under 23 age group from New Zealander Nick Kalivati (52.14) and West Australian Lyndsay Pekin (60.01).
Another Sandgroper, Jody Henry showed her rivals a clean pair of heels in winning the under 23 100 metres in 11.95 (+0.2) whilst Miranda Tiong (WAIS) picked up the under 20 pole vault title at 3.85 metres.
The Australian summer athletics season now turns its attention to the next leg of the Telstra A Series in
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