2008 Tasmanian Track & Field Championships - Day 1 Wrap
08 Mar 2008
Day 1 of the Tasmanian Track & Field Championships concluded today, with an impressive run from TIS athlete Morgan Whiley over 400m.
Whiley made it back to back titles in the Lynne Masey Memorial 400m, crossing the line in 55.91sec, ahead of Western Suburbs athlete Danielle Taylor and Kiara Chambers of Eastern Suburbs
Grant Page is 66% of the way through an unthinkable treble on the track. He won his first event of the day, the Men’s 1500m which was no surprise. However, when he stormed home to win the Norm Hutton Memorial Men’s 400m, the crowd took notice. Page was in third place coming into the straight, before the long striding Northern Suburbs athlete glided home to win in 50.63sec, beating home Callum James and Stephen Rae in the closest Open race of the day.
To complete the unique treble, Page will tackle the 800m, with heats scheduled for 1:30pm tomorrow and the final on Monday. The open Men’s 800m is shaping up as one of the highlights of the championships, which will feature a stream of AT/TIS Development Squad athletes keen to knock Page from the middle of the dais.
The Pole Vault equipment got a rare workout in Hobart today, by the senior men. North Launceston’s Torin Philpott cleared an impressive 4.30m, to take the title from fellow club mate Josh Shepherd who vaulted over 4:00m.
Hamish Peacock put on another impressive display of long throwing in taking out the Open Men’s Javelin. After recently breaking the state record, Peacock was just shy of his new personal best, on this occasion throwing 68.33m, still far enough to be a qualifier for the World Junior Championships later this year in Poland.
There was a pack of four running together in the open Women’s 1500m, well into the race, until Northern Suburns Mel Daniels asserted her dominance to run away with the state title in 4.45.18. Daniels showed a clean set of spikes to Jess Morey and Suzy Cole, who both dipped under the 5min barrier for the three and three quarter lap journey.
The sea breeze played havoc with the open Men’s Triple Jump. Tamar’s Josh Harris leaped 12.62m with a 1.7m tailwind, while Eastern Suburbs Baden Wass jumped 12.60m into a 0.2 headwind.
Competition continues at the Domain Athletics Centre tomorrow and will feature heats of the Open Men’s 100m and 800m. At 5:45pm Donna MacFarlane will be out to win the Open Women’s 5000m and take on the men at the same time.