Athletes on Track for Commonweatlh Games
16 January 2006 | 1.32pm
2006 NSW State Open and Under 18 Championships
Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre, January 13-15
The NSW Open Championships concluded on Sunday night following three days of some of the best athletic performances Australia has witnessed in years. Australia’s best athletes, exceptional performances and an enthusiastic crowd made the perfect mix for a great weekend of Athletics.
Throughout the three days of competition, spectators witnessed two (2) Commonwealth Games ‘A’ qualifying performances, Thirteen (13) Commonwealth Games ‘B’ qualifying performances and Seventeen (17) World Junior Championship qualifying performances.
Daniel Batman and Patrick Johnson lead the charge, both setting a Commonwealth Games ‘A’ qualifying time in the Men’s 200m. Batman powered through his heat in 20.45, the fastest time by an Australian since Matt Shirvington in 1998. Batman then withdrew from the final and let Johnson take the spotlight with a winning time of 20.57.
The Men’s 100m and 400m on Saturday night were two extremely anticipated events and both lived up to their expectations even though the weather was against them.
Clinton Hill, John Steffensen and Mark Ormrod, three of Australia’s silver medalists in Athens lined up against one another in the final. Hill came away with the victory ahead of Steffensen and Ormrod, amazingly all three athletes posted a ‘B’ qualifying times.
In the Men’s 100m spectator’s witnessed another incredibly close race, with again some of the finest sprinters in action. Australian open Champion Joshua Ross took the title from Daniel Batman and Adam Miller, with Matt Shirvington finishing a close fourth with a very impressive first 60m.
On the field, Clay Cross recorded his 11th successive Open Men’s Shot Put title, and 2004 National Triple Jump Champion Andrew Murphy won the title from Michael Perry and AIS athlete Jacob McReynolds.
World Youth Discus Champion Dani Samuels continued her outstanding form over the past 18 months, taking out the Open Women’s Shot Put and Discus.
The Open Women’s High Jump was a close fight, with 2004 National Champion Petrina Price returning from injury to take the title from Sophia Begg and Claire Mallett.
Top-class athletics continues, with the National Series Meet - Sydney Track Classic, being held in Sydney this Thursday night, and the Telstra A-Series meet in Canberra on January 26.
Commonwealth Games Qualifying Performances
(A) 200m – 20.45 (0.4) Daniel Batman (N) [fastest time by an Australian since Shirvington in 1998]
(A) 200m – 20.57 (0.4) Patrick Johnson (A)
(B) 800m – 1:47.36 Nick Bromley (N)
(B) Javelin – 76.10m Will Hamlyn-Harris (N)
(B) 1500m – 3:39.88 Jeremy Roff (N)
(B) 110m Hurdles – 14.00 Greg Eyears (N)
(B) Hammer – 60.23m Karyne Di Marco (N)
(B) 400m – 45.74 Clinton Hill (N)
(B) 400m – 45.69 Clinton Hill (N)
(B) 400m - 45.74 John Steffensen (W)
(B) 400m - 45.79 John Steffensen (W)
(B) 400m – 45.89 Mark Ormrod (S)
(B) 100m T38 - 15.15 (1.2) Katherine Proudfoot (N)
(B) 200m – 20.72 (0.5) Patrick Johnson (A)
(B) 3000m Steeple – 8.27.66 Youcef Abdi (N)
World Juniors Qualifying Performances
200m – 24.51 (2.0) Jacinta Doyle (N)
3000m Steeplechase – 10:40.71 Georgia Kaidonis (S)
3000m Steeplechase – 10:49.17 Rebecca Lowe (N)
Javelin – 53.32m Zoe Pelbart (N)
800m – 1:49.63 Lachlan Renshaw (N)
400m – 47.58 Tristan Garrett (N)
400m – 47.96 Tristan Garrett (N)
200m – 24.52 (-0.1) Olivia Tauro (N)
100m – 11.98 (-1.1) Olivia Tauro (N)
800m – 2:05.75 Brooke Simpson (N)
800m – 2:08.58 Brooke Simpson (N)
400m – 53.83 Jamie-Lee Hoebergen (N)
400m – 53.76 Jamie-Lee Hoebergen (N)
1500m – 4:22.85 Madeleine Heiner (N)
800m – 2:06.50 Zoe Buckman (A)
Discus – 50.68m Dani Samuels (N)
Shot – 14.63m Dani Samuels (N)
Javelin – 53.01m Laura Cornford (N)
ENDS