Best Ever Briggs Field at 5000m for Olympic Qualifier

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20 Jan 2012

Best Ever Briggs Field at 5000m for Oympic Qualifier
Tasmanian sports fans are in for a treat on February 4, as some of the worlds best athletes descend on the Domain Athletics Centre in search of Olympic qualification.

Among them will be a star cast line up in the men’s 5000m, that features world championship bronze medalist and Australian record holder Craig Mottram.

Mottram can take much of the credit for inspiring Australia’s current generation of distance runners, as he has constantly taken on and defeated many of Africa’s great middle distance men.

It will be Mottram’s first time on the track at the Briggs Athletics Classic and victory for the 31 year old is certainly not assured.

Taking him on will be Australia’s second and third fastest men ever at 5000m, Ben St Lawrence and Collis Birmingham.  Both are past victors of the race, renown world wide for producing fast early season times.

Olympic finalist Youcef Abdi will also toe the line along with promising Australian juniors Brett Robinson and Harry Summers.

Meet Director Brian Roe has also worked hard to attract several international names for the race, including;

·       World University Games champion Andy Vernon (UK)

·       US college champion Bobby Curtis (USA)

·       European finalist Nick McCormick (UK)

·       A team of four Japanese

“This field is unquestionably the highest quality middle distance field to be assembled in Tasmania.  Sports fans in general ought to come along and see how quick these guys actually are, as they all set about qualifying for this years Olympic Games,” Roe said.

“Interest from athletes for a place on the starting line for this race as been unprecedented as many know there will be Olympic qualifiers produced,” Roe added.

Tickets are on sale from Athletics Tasmania, athletics clubs or from Centertainment.