Sixteen Medals for Tassie at Australian All Schools
04 Dec 2011
Russell Taib was the star performer for Tasmania on the second and final day of the Australian All Schools Track and Field Championships at the University of Queensland Track in Brisbane today, winning his second gold medal of the two-day competition.
The 13 year old's victory in the boys' under 14 100 metres means that has now won four Australian sprint titles in the space of nine months, a fine achievement in disciplines in which Tasmania has not been strong in recent years.
After an easy heat win this morning in 11.59 (-0.3 wind), Taib overcame a sluggish start in the afternoon final, to haul in his NSW and Victorian rivals just centimetres from the finish line in a wind assisted time of 11.41.
Today's other Tasmanian medals also came from successful day one athletes - with bronze medals to Kale Adams, Abbey de la Motte and Hugh Nicklason.
Adams just failed to break the nine minute barrier in finishing third in the under 16 boys' 3000 metres in 9:00.48, whilst de la Motte backed up from her 400 metres win to take bronze in the 200 metres in a wind assisted 24.50. Nicklason took his second medal - in the 800 metres in a time of 1:58.93.
Other Tasmanians to make the top eight in their events today included Kaitlin Morgan in the under 18 long jump (6th - 5.50m), Danni McConnell in the under 18 discus (7th - 35.90m), Claire McClenaghan (6th - 33.89m) and Jasmine Turner (7th - 32.96m) in the under 16 javelin, Rachelle Taylor (5th - 16:20.36),Louis Rose (6th - 15:07.42) and Andrew Boerma (8th - 16:27.56) in their respective under 16 3000m walk events and Darcy Lahey who was fourth in the under 18 200 metres in 22.35(+2.5 wind).
Another 13 year old, Matthew Hosie finished his mammoth weekend in which he competed seven times, with a fourth in a very strong high jump event (1.65m) and seventh in the javelin.
Athletics Tasmania President, Brian Roe said that the Association was very proud of its young achievers and their support teams.
"What is really interesting and pleasing is that we won medals in each of the event groups - sprints, distance, jumps and throws, which reflects well on the work that our coaches are doing both in coach education and athlete development," Roe said.
"We now look forward to the Australian Age and Junior Championships in Sydney in March, where we anticipate we will have a much bigger and even stronger team, with quite a few of our young stars taking the option to train through the schools championships period."
In all, the final medal haul was six gold, four silver and six bronze.
Gold
Russell Taib - Under 14 100 metres (11.41 wa)
Russell Taib - Under 14 200 metres (23.05)
Hugh Nicklason - Under 16 1500 metres (4:04.94)
Abbey de la Motte - Under 18 400 metres (54.95)
Kaitlin Morgan - Under 18 High Jump (1.83m)
Danni McConnell - Under 18 Hammer (66.89m)
Silver
Kale Adams - Under 16 2000m Steeplechase (6:11.62)
Kaitlin Morgan - Under 18 Triple Jump (12.35m)
Rebecca Direen - Under 18 Shot Put (15.16m)
Mikayla Genge - Under 18 Hammer (60.18m)
Bronze
Matthew Hosie - Under 14 Discus (46.19m)
Hugh Nicklason - Under 16 800 metres (1:58.93)
Biniyam Hagos - Under 16 1500 metres (4:08.03)
Kale Adams - Under 16 3000 metres (9:00.48)
Abbey de la Motte - Under 18 200 metres (24.50 wa)
Rebecca Direen - Under 18 Hammer (55.71m)