Final Day of Competition on the Gold Coast
16 Mar 2008
Victories to Todd Hodgetts, Tristan Thomas and Camilla Whishaw ensured that Tasmanian finished the Australian Under 20 and Under 23 Track and Field Championships on the Gold Coast on a high note with a fine haul of five gold medals.
Hodgetts, who competes for the Newstead Harrier Club in Launceston, showed that moving up an age group was no bar to success taking gold in the under 23 men’s shot put with a best distance with the 7.26kg weight of 16.46m. He also took silver in the hammer in which he recorded 50.59m. It was the Launceston giant’s second national title, joining Daniel Coleman (OVA) and Hamish Peacock (Eastern Suburbs), who were victorious earlier in the meet, as repeat champions from 2007 to 2008.
Thomas, who trains at the AIS in Canberra and runs for Sandy Bay Harriers, continued the fine form that produced a win in the national senior title a fortnight ago, to again reign supreme in the 400 metres hurdles - this time recording 50.31, more than a second faster than at the Nationals. It indicates a continuing return to form after a long lay off due to injury and that he remains a long shot chance for Olympic selection.
North Launceston’s Whishaw took her gold in the under 23 5000 metres, reaching the line in 17:40.21.
Peacock emulated the achievement of Hodgetts by taking a second medal in the titles – a bronze in the under 20 shot put after throwing 16.54m with the 6kg implement.
Tasmania’s final total for the Championships was five gold, two silvers and two bronze – an excellent result from a small team.
The other medals came from Peacock’s younger brother and Eastern Suburbs team mate Huw, who was second in the under 20 hammer (56.30m) and Tamar’s Josh Harris who picked up bronze in the under 20 3000m steeplechase.