<09.03.07> Day 1 wrap from Australian Championships


11 Mar 2007

Athletics Tasmania

Governing Body for Track and Field in Tasmania

 

 

 

MEDIA RELEASE

 

MULTI EVENT ATHLETES PERFORM BEST, IN AN UNLUCKY DAY FOR TASMANIAN’S
 

Tasmanian athletes struggled with the conditions in warm Tasmania on the opening day of competition at the Telstra Selection Trials and 85th Australian Championships in Brisbane.

Hobart middle distance runner Grant Page missed out on a spot in the 1500m final after placing 5th in his heat.  Page has been in the form of his life, recording a personal best of 3.42.98 for the 1500m last weekend in Melbourne, but was in an unfortunate position of running 5th in the slowest of the two heats.  This meant the fastest non automatic qualifiers all came from the faster heat two.

Launceston’s Brittany Knee was sitting in third position in the under 20 women’s Heptathlon until the 200m which was the final event on day one of their competition.  Knee ran gallantly in the final event of the day and will begin day 2 of the Heptathlon event in fourth position and will be in a strong position to earn a national U’20 medal tomorrow. 

In the Men’s U’20 Decathlon, Jasper Da Seymour of Newstead Harriers performed well at his first Australian Championships.  In a close competition, the Launceston Church Grammar student gained invaluable experience against the strongest competition he has faced in this, his first season of Athletics.  Da Seymour will head into day 2 of competition tomorrow in 6th place, although with a strong performance he could be an outside chance of a medal.

North West sprinters Melissa Kay and Morgan Whiley were both chances of medals going into the Championships, however neither will win a medal in their pet events, but both will be looking for better luck in the 200m.

Kay ran fourth in her heat of the women’s 100m, running 12.40 into a 3.5m headwind.  Meanwhile winner of the 400m at the Telstra A-series in Sydney Morgan Whiley was a shock non starter against glamour girl Tamsyn Lewis due to the flu.

Famous for his antics in the ring during the Australian Under 20 Championships in Hobart last month, Todd Hodgetts threw 48.58m in the open men’s hammer tonight.  Todd composed himself on the mainland today, holding back on his grunts and screams as he sends the implements sailing.

Despite attaining a double page feature article in The Age today, Burnie Gift runner up Sam Crosswell was a no show for his favoured 400m event.  Crosswell is back in training after a minor injury and will focus entirely on the Tasmanian Track & Field Championships in Hobart next weekend.

In action tomorrow evening will be Donna MacFarlane, out to claim her first senior Australian title in the women’s 3000m steeplechase and book an automatic seat on the plane to Osaka in August for the 2007 IAAF World Championships.

Tomorrow’s action also features Day 1 of competition for the Under 18 State match, with Tasmania sending a competitive team the Queensland capital.

Brisbane  – 9 March 2007

 

Further information: Richard Welsh                                              0409 820 248