Hansen conquers classy field to win Tas 1500m Champs
24 Mar 2012
Eighteen year old North Launceston athlete, James Hansen today got some small compensation at least for narrowly missing selection in the Australian Junior Team by winning the state 1500 metres title on the second day of the Tasmanian Track and Field Championships at the Domain Athletic Centre in Hobart.
Running against older and more experienced rivals including former champions, Grant Page (Northern Suburbs) and Sam Fergusson (North West), Hansen kept his charge until the final straight, edging ahead take a fine victory in a near three second personal best of 3:48.91. Page took silver in 3.49.15 whilst defending champ, Fergusson had to settle from bronze with a time of 3:49.98.
And there were some excellent results down the list with the next three to finish - carnivals king Douglas Hamerlok (NW), late bloomer Jerome Whiteley (NL) and 15 year old Hugh Nicklason (Eastern Suburbs) all recording big personal bests. For sixth placer, Nicklason it also meant a new state under 16 record, of 3.56.69, slicing almost three seconds off Jake Birtwhistle's former mark.
There were some excellent results across the board, as the cold and mirky weather earlier in the day transformed into close to ideal conditions for the afternoon's finals.
Mikayla Genge (OVA Southern Saints), at 16, also sprang a major surprise, celebrating national junior selection by winning the open women's hammer with a world junior qualifying mark of 56.25 metres but perhaps more even more significantly defeating both minor placegetters Natalie Deblejuh (Vic) and Danni McConnell (ES) in a major competition for the first time.
Her club-mate and fellow World Juniors selectee, Kaitlin Morgan was also in good form - clearing 1.83m, also yet another world junior qualifer, to win the women's high jump.
The Peacock brothers, Hamish and Huw, both from Eastern Suburbs, took a throws double - Hamish securing the javelin gold whilst Huw dominated the hammer.
As has become the custom in recent years, youngsters dominated the short sprints with Morgan Gaffney (NW) successfully defending her 100 metres crown in 12.37 whilst emerging talent, Ross Lovell (19, NL) cracked the 11 second barrier to win in men's title in 10.95.
Victorian Andrew Boudrie won the men's 400 metres from Sandy Bay's Max Waldron, with a similar story emerging in the women's race won by Becky Pile (Vic) from Eastern Suburbs' recent arrival from South Australia, Samantha Lind.