Patrick Johnson Sets The Pace In Perth
It’s December and Australia’s Patrick Johnson has just popped out a 10.01sec (+2.4). As PJ notes in the Race Results section, it must be a Commonwealth Games season in the southern hemisphere. Full details of the Perth grand prix in Race Results section. kk 
19 December 2005 | 2.17pm
Patrick Johnson again showed his love for running in Perth when he won the Drug Free Mens 100m in a wind assisted 10.01 sec, to win from Daniel Batman with Joshua Ross finishing third.
“It is always good to come to Perth, I wish I could run all my races here,” he said.
In a sensational day of athletics, the Drug Free Track and Field Classic provided excellent conditions for the athletes with a slight tailwind helping the sprinters achieve fast times. The conditions were of no assistance however to Matt Shirvington in his first outing for the season when he was disqualified for breaking twice in his heat.
Sally McClellan was again in sparkling form to win the Womens 100m Hurdles in the Commonwealth A-qualifying time of 13.16 sec with a legal wind of 1.3. Fiona Cullen also achieved an A-qualifier in finishing second in 13.20 sec.
Pole Vaulter Kym Howe confirmed her number one ranking in Australia with her third Commonwealth A-qualifier in three weeks by winning the event with 4.35m. Howe said she was happy to get another qualifying standard especially as she was still off a shortened approach.
The men’s pole vault did not reach the same height with local hero Paul Burgess withdrawing from the competition at 5.20m with calf soreness. Victorian Steve Hooker won with 5.40m.
Kim Mickle earned herself a personal best and her second A-qualifier of the season with a 58.16m in the javelin, improving her best by 16cm.
In the high jump, WA’s Ellen Pettit scored a B-qualifier to win with a jump of 1.86m.
Local athlete Chris Troode finished off the day on a high by winning the Mens 400m in an A-qualifying time of 45.60 to beat current National Champion Ben Offereins. The only Australian to run the 400m faster this year is fellow West Australian John Steffensen.
For Full Results click here