Media Release - Top Tasmanian juniors to represent Australia
01 Apr 2008
Two outstanding Tasmanian junior athletes have been selected to represent Australia later this year.
Hamish Peacock (Eastern Suburbs) has been chosen for the World Junior Championships to be held in Bydgoszcz, Poland from July 8 to 13 whilst Daniel Coleman (OVA) will make his second appearance for Australia in the World Walking Cup to be staged in Cheboksary in Russia in May.
The two athletes, who are both Tasmanian Institute of Sport scholarship holders, impressed selectors by retaining the Australian junior championships they first won in Hobart twelve months earlier during the national selection trials held in March on the Gold Coast.
“Their selection is a credit to the two boys and their coaches but also reflects the success of the Athletics Tasmania and TIS development programmes,” AT President, Brian Roe said in response to the news.
Coleman, who is currently training in Canberra with other members of the national walking squad, also narrowly missed selection for the World Juniors – crossing the line at the Nationals an agonising six seconds short of the qualifying standard for the 10000 metres walk.
Peacock is no stranger to international competition, despite being yet to reach his eighteenth birthday. Last year, he produced a series of personal best throws to grab the silver medal in the World Youth (under 18) Championships in Ostrava in the Czech Republic.
Despite having to progress from the youth implement weight (700gm) to the senior men’s weight of 800gm for this year’s competition, Peacock continues to make solid progress.
“Hamish will have to give nearly two years in age and experience to some of his rivals in Poland, but given his outstanding response to competition challenges at all stages of his development to date, one suspects he will be very competitive,” Roe said.
“And Daniel will benefit from having competing at the Cup two years ago, when he was really just emerging as a national level walker. He is very committed and continues to reach benchmark times on each major competition occasion.”
Further enquiries to;
Richard Welsh 03 6234 9551 / 0409 820 248
Brian Roe 0438 604 571
End of release