Super Sally Set tO Sizzle Sprints
11 Feb 2011
Super Sally set to sizzle sprints
Olympic silver medallist and Commonwealth champion Sally Pearson is set to ignite the track at next week’s Briggs Athletics Classic.
The Queensland sprint sensation is a confirmed starter in both the 100m and 200m races, in what will be her first race in Hobart as the elite international superstar she now is.
“The first time I raced was at the All Schools National Championships in 2002. It is a fantastic track and I’m really looking forward to racing fast times there,” she said from her Gold Coast base.
Pearson (nee McLellan), leapt into the spotlight when she famously won silver at the Beijing Olympics in the 100m hurdles. The Australian record-holder for the 100m hurdles event is also Australia’s second fastest ever over 100m, with a lifetime best of 11.14 seconds.
Australian record-holder for both the 100m and 200m events, Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, also owns the Tasmanian All Comers record at 11.32 seconds and 22.32 seconds respectively, the latter also a national record at the time it was set.
“Melinda’s national record is a hard one to break. Of course one day I would like to break it but the record is not my main focus,” said Pearson, who will make her season debut this Friday in Brisbane.
Pearson, like many of Australia’s top athletes will be using the Australian Athletics Tour as a key competition phase in the lead-up to the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, held in Daegu, Korea, this year.
“I am really looking forward to the world championships. This is the best preparation I have had for the Australian season in my senior career and I’m hoping I can have the same preparation for the world championships which could see me win the title, but the 100m hurdles at the international level is very competitive so anything can happen.”
The addition of Pearson to the 2011 Briggs Athletics Classic adds to the growing list of Australian and international superstars who will attend this year’s meet. Names including Reese Hoffa (2007 shot put world champion – USA), Nick Symmonds (World Championships finalist 800m – USA), Jeff Riseley (No. 3 all-time Australian 1500m – AUS).
