This is the final of South Australia’s richest and most prestigious 400m race - the Camden Classic. In its previous 28 year history it had never been won by an athlete off a single figure handicap.
The runner in red is Duncan Tippins who at the age off 33 was running in his 4th final and off the tightest handicap he had ever run from - 9m. Duncan recently ran a huge PB of 46.83 in an amateur race.
The runner in white is Clay Watkins (PB of 46.99) who recently ran 21.64 for 200m. Watkins also started off 9m.
The runner in blue is Leon Burckhardt (21m) who was running in his record equalling 9th Camden Classic final.
The runner in green is Hayden Cook (22m), a former SA state 800m champion.
This event is cut throat - 7 heats with heat winners only advancing to the final.
Just for the record the 4 lads mentioned above are from my squad.
This is now regarded as the most intimidating and devastating performance in Camden Classic history. The blokes in the race are not hacks - they are well performed pro runners, now watch what the big bloke in red does to them.
Yeah, Tippins won the Burnie Gift on New Year’'s Day.
He has won over $15000 this season with wins at Flinders (70m), Reynella (120m Gift), Colley Reserve PreBay meet (120m Gift), Burnie (120m Gift) and now the Camden Classic.
Not bad for a bloke who 4 years ago was 29, injury ridden with stuffed achilles, a 3 year old PB of 48.20 and only had 3 forgettable starts in the 2003/04 season. He was tossing up whether to retire (his coach had just retired) but fortunately I was able to pursuade him into joining us. The rest is history.
What’s even more extraordinary is that Tippins ran for SA in the Australia Cup in Brisbane on late Saturday afternoon. He flew back on a 6.30am flight on Sunday morning. (Adelaide is a 2 hour flight from Brisbane).
The stable has won 22 races this season. (Next best in SA is 13).
The Camden Classic has become a special race for us. Since I first had a finalist in 2001, my squad has had 18 finalists in the last 8 years - the next best by any other squad is 4. We’re the only stable to have 1st and 2nd in the same race and we have done it twice - 2003 & 2008.
As a matter of interest, Tippins ran another PB last Saturday in the South Aust state champs with a 46.78. He was beaten by Steve Landers who ran a huge PB of 46.73. Landers had travelled to New Zealand the week before to win the professional 400m race - off 7m in 46.6.
My other 400m runner, with a PB of 46.99, (Jan 07) suffered from the effects more than Tippins of the 2 hard 400’s at Camden and ended up running 3rd in 47.49.
My view is it takes a good 10 days minimum to recover fully from running a heat & final at Camden which is kikuyu grass. So they should be better this week for the 200m state title.
This week -
Tempo run throughs over 100m on Sunday.
Monday - flying 50’s 2 sets of 4 to 6.
Tuesday - 2 x 120m trials off blocks and handicaps. 10 mins apart.
Wednesday - Flying 50’s x 8.
All above on grass.
Thursday - 4 x 60’s about 6 to 8 mins apart. Off blocks - all off same mark. (synthetic track).
