<14.01.2008> - Briggs Athletics Classic - Throws Preview
15 Jan 2008
Briggs Athletics Classic – The Throwers are Coming
On current form, Scott Martin is Australia’s number 1 athlete.
In Sydney on Saturday night he bettered his Shot Put personal best set in Hobart at last years Briggs Athletics Classic, recording 20.63m. The performance is an A-qualifier for the Beijing Olympics and the Melbourne based athlete, will be looking to pop out another A-qualifier when he steps into the ring this Friday night. Athletics Australia automatic selection for Beijing 2008 requires athletes to have 2 A qualifying performances, plus win the Australian title.
Standing at 190cm tall and 130kg, the monster of a man was pleased with his early season form in Sydney at the weekend, given he was coming of a recently injured foot. “It was a big surprise, as I haven’t trained the full movement yet this season. I’ve only done standing turns and three quarter turns in training. I know these distances have been in me for a while however.”
Martin is now a regular drawcard for athletics meets around Australia, after progressing through the little athletics ranks in Wodonga, Victoria. Last year he was the Australian Co-Captain at the World Championships in Athletics at Osaka and the 25 year old will be looking to again perform well on Friday night. “I pulled up well from Sydney and I’ll definitely go for another big one in Hobart.”
The Commonwealth Games Discus Champion has been performing in Hobart for 9 seasons in a row now and always looks forward to coming to Tasmania’s biggest Track & Field meeting. “Sydney was a similar crowd to Hobart last year, with the Shot Put ring really close to the crowd. I’m looking forward to competing in Hobart again, as I always do. The crowd is always good and knowledgeable; they respond well because they are educated and they make it fun to throw in front of.”
Joining Martin in the Maxis Shot Put will be Launceston big man Todd Hodgetts, who will definitely fight for the title of best grunt and Stuart Gyngell. AIS scholarship holder Russell Short will add interest to the field. The AWD athlete is the Discus World Record holder for the F12 classification (visually impared) and has been a 3 time Paralympic Champion.
Scott Martin will have a tough time of it trying to win the Maxis Men’s Discus. Although the Commonwealth Champion at the event, he will have to beat the best men in the country, including Victorian Benn Harradine whose personal best is only 35cm short or Martin’s, at 63.65m. TIS Scholarship holder will make a much anticipated return to the ring in Hobart, as he looks to see how his solid winter preparations
went.
The Men’s Javelin is also shaping up to be one of the best events on the program. Tasmanian Athletics fans have recently been spoilt to witness World Youth Silver Medallist Hamish Peacock compete on a weekly basis. However this Friday the spears will fly, as Peacock will be join by Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and former Tasmanian Will Hamlyn Harris, 2007 World Championships representative Jarrod Bannister and two of the best rising athletes in the country, Jamal Idris and Luke Bissett.
On being informed of the field, TIS scholarship holder Peacock beamed with excitement, announcing “I just want to throw a PB in that field, its going to be awesome!”
Rounding out the quality of throwers will be 2000 Olympian Karyne Di Marco in the Women’s Hammer.
The weather forecast is for mainly fine and 25, perfect to bring a picnic hamper and sit on the hill at the Domain Athletics Centre, with competition running from 5:45 – 8:45.
Tickets available from Athletics Tasmania www.tasathletics.org.au, associated clubs and Centretainment.