<10.03.07> Day 2 Wrap from Australian Champtionships


11 Mar 2007

Media Release

Saturday, 10 March 2007

 

 

MACFARLANE WINS FIRST SENIOR AUSTRALIAN TITLE

 

The wait is over.  Donna MacFarlane delivered what Tasmania has been waiting for, gold in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.  I’m really happy to win my first Australian title, as it is something I have always wanted to do,” the Tasmanian said. 

 

MacFarlane led the entire race and clocked her eighth world championship A-qualifier of 9.34.21.  She will now go back into solid training to prepare herself for taking on the best the world has to offer when she heads to Europe in the coming months.

Devonport Gift 400m winner and Tasmanian glamour girl of the track Nicole Perry fought gallantly in a tactical heat of the women’s 800m narrowly missing a place in the final.  Tamsyn Lewis won Perry’s heat and looks set to be the first Australian to win the 400m-800m double at the Telstra Australian Championships since 1981.  Lewis won the women’s 400m tonight and is the outright favourite for tomorrow’s 800m final.

Despite battling with a head cold, Hamish Peacock took on the big boys in the open men’s javelin.  In his second competition of the day (after the Under 18 match javelin) Peacock threw 65.30m with the 800gr implement.   

Newstead’s Todd Hodgett’s sent the shot furthest on his first attempt with 14.92.  Toddy brought the grunt back tonight which the crowd loved as he finished in 9th position overall.

Jumping a new personal best in the long jump put Launceston’s Brittany Knee in striking distance of the bronze medal in the Under 20 women’s heptathlon.  Going into the final event, the 800m, points were so close that Knee had to just beat the girl from Queensland to win the bronze medal.  Knee did that, running strongly to record the best performance of her career and win Australian Championship bronze medal. 

In the under 20 men’s decathlon Jasper Da Seymour completed his first Australian Championship in 6th position and David O’Toole rounded out his weekend with a 5th placing in the open men’s decathlon. 

In the under 18 match, the Tasmanian team ended day 1 of competition in 5th place thanks to strong performances from Hamish Peacock winning the Javelin in a new personal best of 74.58m

The action continues tomorrow at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre with the final day of competition. 

 

Brisbane  – 10 March 2007

 

Further information:         

 

Richard Welsh                                 0409 820 248