Australian Athletics Championships underway at Lakeside Stadium
The first of more than 620 athletes have taken to the track or field for the 90th Australian Athletics Championships today, with Tim Driesen (Vic), Katy Parrish (Vic) and Vicky Parnov (WA) amongst the winners.
Heaving 70.55m, Driesen’s victory in the men’s hammer throw is the second consecutive national crown for the 2010 Commonwealth Games representative.
Driesen opened with a 63.81m throw, before 69.21m, two fouls, and his winning mark in round five. Hiroshi Noguchi (JPN, 66.25m) won silver, while Tasmanian Institute of Sport Scholarship Holder Huw Peacock (Tas, 61.85m) won the bronze.
Driesen said: “That’s two in a row, and retaining the crown is great. This is my second best throw ever and that’s a solid result for me.
“I’m still improving and that a positive sign, I know I have more in me and knowthat I can continue to develop as an athlete. I was a little inconsistent and want to make sure that I can fix that, and a couple of other things, moving forward.”
Parrish’s performance was outstanding, with the VIS Scholarship Holder soaring to a monster personal best of 4.35m (w: -1.7) to win the women’s ambulant long jump.
Opening her account with 3.71m, the cerebral palsy athlete Parrish leapt 3.94m in round two before 3.74m, a foul, her winning leap and 4.03m to close. Up and coming athlete with a disability Stephanie Schweitzer (NSW) was second and dual world champion Kelly Cartwright (Vic) third.
Parrish said: “I’m so happy with that, it’s the start of big things to come hopefully.”
“This makes me so excited about heading overseas, it gives me the confidence I need to know that I am capable and just can’t wait for it all to start happening. Between now and the Paralympics it was always going to be a tough but this boost will obviously keep me motivated and determined to succeed.”
Parnov, the former world youth champion and training partner of Olympic nominees Liz Parnov and Alana Boyd, cleared 4.20m to win her first Australian title in the women’s pole vault.
Entering the competition at 4.00m, the West Australian Institute of Sport Scholarship holder sailed over 4.10m and 4.20m, both on first attempts, before stumbling at 4.30m. Parnov was joined on the podium by Nina Kennedy (WA, second, 4.00m) and Pascale Gacon (FRA, third, 3.90m).
In other results on track:
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Kaila McKnight (Vic) won her first 5000m crown in a time of 16:24.56, ahead of Melanie Daniels (Tas, second, 16:32.95) and Belinda Martin (NSW, third, 16:50.55) -
M 3000m SC -
Matthew Silcocks (Vic), who has an arm deficiency, clocked 4:05.13 to win the men’s ambulant 1500m from cerebral palsy athlete DeonKonzie (Tas, second, 4:24.52) and visually impaired Gerrard Gosens (Qld, third, 4:34.27) -
Melissa Breen clocked 11.53 (-0.4), the fastest time in the 100m, to advance to the semi-finals. She will be joined in round two by her IAAF world championships teammates Charlotte Van Veenendaal (Vic, 11.96, w: +0.2) and Hayley Butler (NSW, 11.82, w: +2.0). The final will be held tomorrow evening. -
Tamsyn Manou (Vic, 2:07.63) and Sianne Toemoe (NSW, 2:05.96) won their respective heats in the women’s 800m to move through to tomorrow’s final, along with 1500m Olympic nominee Zoe Buckman (Vic) who was second in heat two (2:06.01) -
Tristan Thomas (Tas) clocked 50.50 to convincingly win his men’s 400m hurdles heat. He advances fastest for the final on Saturday. -
Richard Nicholson (NSW, 52.06) is the Australian champion in the wheelchair 400m, while Angela Ballard (NSW) is the women’s champion after clocking 1:02.70 to take line honours
In other field results:
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World champion Madeleine Hogan (Vic), who was born without the lower half of her left arm, won the women’s ambulant javelin national crown with a 34.51m best mark. -
Gabrielle Neighbour (Vic) won her second consecutive Australian crown in the women’s hammer throw, with a best mark of 66.20m. Odette LaFourcade (CHI, 57.73m) was second and Natalie Debeljuh (Vic, 57.52m) third. -
Paralympian Katherine Proudfoot (ACT) secured the gold medal in the women’s ambulant discus throw with a 24.22m best mark, from her IPC Athletics World Championships teammate Noni Thompson (Vic, second, 19.80m) and Claire Keefer (Qld, second, 18.57m) -
Cerebral palsy athlete Jayden Sawyer (ACT) heaved 37.41m to win the men’s ambulant javelin from Jason Lettice (Qld, second, 37.47) by a mere six centimetres. -
Commonwealth champion Louise Ellery (ACT) added another Australian championship gold to her burgeoning trophy cabinet with a 12.39m throw to win the women’s secured club throw. Ellery has an acquired brain injury from a car accident. -
Brydee Moore (Vic), who is a Victorian Institute of Sport scholarship holder, won the women’s secured discus with a 14.76m best mark in round three of six.
Competition continues at Lakeside Stadium tomorrow, with competition set to start at 12noon.
The program also includes a special presentation by Athletics International to the winners (to be announced) of the Steve Moneghetti Emerging Athlete of the year Awards, for both one male and one female up and coming athlete.
To download results from day one of the 90th Australian Athletics Championships, please click here.
For more information on the 90th Australian Athletics Championships, including the event timetable and entry lists, please click here.
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2012 AUSTRALIAN JUNIOR ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Wednesday, March 14 – Sunday, March 18
Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre
For more information, please click here.
2012 90th AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Friday, April 13 – Sunday, April 15
Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park
For more information, please click here.