Two mixed race fourth places for Pittman
Saturday 10 January 2004
Perth, Australia - Jana Pittman took on the men in two mixed races, while in the men’s 100m Australian sprint ace Patrick Johnson was forced to pull out with an hamstring injury, at today’s Telstra A-Series meeting in Perry Lakes Stadium.
Reigning women’s World 400m Hurdles champion Jana Pittman was the obvious crowd favourite, attempting to upstage the men in two mixed events, the 330m Hurdles and the 300m flat. Pittman crossed the line in fourth place in both events, saying “I think the boys have just that little bit more talent then we do!”.
These were demonstration events and integral to Pittman’s preparation for the 2004 Olympic Games. Australian crowds will get to see the star race over her specialist distance of 400 hurdles later in the domestic season.
Johnson injured
In the men’s 100m, the fastest 100 metres man in the world last year, Patrick Johnson was hoping to do well on his return to the Perth track where he first broke the 10-second barrier for the distance. Johnson, who recorded a wind-assisted 9.88 victory in the 2003 meeting, took the decision to withdraw after feeling a hamstring strain.
Coach Esa Peltola said: "Its difficult to assess the severity at this stage. “He wanted to run in Perth after such a terrific performance here last year. He was looking forward to it.”
In his absence, Matt Shirvington won in a time of 10.33, some 1/100sec ahead of Adam Basil. Equal third were Josh Ross and Paul Di Bella in 10.37.
Shirvington, who suffered from illness last year, was delighted with his win. “I usually start out the season slower. I’m really happy considering it was my first real hit out,” he said.
Other events…
There was an Olympic qualifying standard win for pole-vaulter Kym Howe who cleared 4.45m - only five centimetres short of her personal best. Rosanna Ditton finished second with 4.20m.
2001 World Pole Vault champion Dmitri Markov, who is a genuine contender for an Olympic medal, won the men’s discipline with a height of 5.65m. Steven Hooker was second behind with a Victorian State record of 5.55m (a PB by 10cm!), while third place went to Paul Burgess with an effort of 5.40m.
There was a (windy) personal-best attempt of 6.78m (3.1m/s wind) by women’s Long Jump winner Kerrie Taurima who had five centimetres (6.63m; 3.8m/s)to spare ahead of World University Games Heptathlon gold-medallist Kylie Wheeler.
Kyle Vander Kuyp, 10-times Australian 110m Hurdles champion, won his race in a wind-assisted 13.58 (2.6m/s), while John Steffensen, on his home track, won the 400m in a personal best 45.99.
The only meet record broken today was in the Men’s 1500 metres by Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Youcef Abdi, who ran 3:39.65.
In the women’s triple jump, Western Australia’s Nicole Mladenis leapt 14.13m (wind +3.7m/s) to win, while in the men’s Andrew Murphy took the victory in 16.90 (wind +5.2m/s).