<03.11.07> - Tasmanian All Schools Track & Field Day 2 Wrap
05 Nov 2007
A 45% increase in entries resulted in some of the hottest school athletics competition Tasmania has seen in recent history.
The schoolboy sprinters of Tasmania delighted spectators, producing winning margins that kept the crowd enthusiastic and fast times to match. The Under 14 boys 400m produced two Australian All Schools and Youth Championships qualifiers. Thomas Parry (St Virgils) and Darcy Lahey (Launceston Church Grammar) easily dipped under the required mark, running 56.52 and 57.70 respectively.
The gusty winds that are oh so common in Tasmania this time of year ended any chances of fast times, yet the competition was nothing short of exciting. The final of the Men’s Under 18 100m grasped the attention of everyone present after a false start raised the tension. Callum James (Newstead College) had the fastest time of the preliminaries looking very powerful and relaxed running 11.49 (-0.2). He looked equally impressive taking the final out in 11.79 into a strong 2.9m head wind. Monbo Saccoh (Prospect High) brought flair to the race and after demolishing the 100m and 200m schools records at the Prospect High carnival in St Leonards last week, was edged out slightly to take the silver medal today, running 11.79sec.
More success continued overall today, following on from Friday nights results, where 13 athletes qualified for the Australian All Schools and Youth Championships and a state record fell. Today 12 more Tasmanian athletes bettered the Australian qualifying standards and yet another state record fell to a Peacock athlete. This time the elder brother, Hamish, sent the Under 20 1.75km Discus 48.27m, eclipsing the previous mark by almost 2.5m. Hamish also took out the Under 18 Shot Put and the Under 20 Javelin, rounding out another golden day for the World Youth Silver medalist.
Perhaps the race of the day was the Under 18 and Under 20 combined Men’s 1500m Final. With more than half the field carrying credentials worth bragging about, the lads set about scorching up the track, in less than scorching conditions. By the time the gun sounded at 6.23pm, the sea breeze was well established as Josh Harris (Launceston College) took up the early running. Settling in behind him was Peter Kleywegt (Calvin Christian) and a fleet of Guilford Young athletes, Tom Beard, Alex Spinks and Nathan Morey. After winning the 2000m Steeplechase the previous night, Harris’ legs began to tire as Beard pounced at the bell which instantly split up the pack. Rounding the top bend for the final time, Beard opened up, unleashing a drive for home that no one could match. His training partner Nathan Morey improved his position dramatically in the closing stages, to move from 5th at the bell, however the Beard’s lead had grown to far to be shaved down as they entered the straight. Both athletes recording massive personal bests, producing their best when it counts, with Beard winning overall, taking the Under 20 title in 4.02.13 while Morey took out the Under 18 division and second place in the race with 4.03.75.
With a full day remaining on the program tomorrow, Athletics Tasmania selectors will be looking to ad to the 25 athletes who have already achieved qualifying performances for the Australia All Schools and Youth Championships in Sydney from December 6 – 9.
Moving the Tasmanian 10,000m track championships to November proved worthwhile, with a quality Men’s field lining up. As conditions gradually improved throughout the race, so did the speed as Grant Page produced a rare negative split for such a tough event. After tailing the pacemaker for the majority of the early laps, before he stepped off the track at 3000m, Page continued to knock off the lap in around 78 seconds. The only athlete able to go with him into the second half of the race was Brian Lyons of the North West. Page passed 5000m in 16min 10 sec, and finished with a 2.49 final kilometre to stop the clock at 31.51.53 and take his first 10,000m Tasmanian track title. Lyons battled strongly to finish in a respectable 32.34.77. The race was collectively the fastest 10,000m track race seen in Tasmania for many years.
Competition on day 3 of the 2007 Tasmanian All Schools Track & Field begins tomorrow (Sunday) at 9:30am in the field and 10:20am on the track.
Full results are available at www.tasathletics.org.au.
For further information and media contacts on the weekend, contact;
Richard Welsh – 03 6234 9551
Brian Roe – 0438 604 571
Athletics Tasmania
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