Might also pay to keep on Runners Tribe or something similar as there were a heap of vids posted there from the NZ Champs and expect similar could happen over there.
Angry Steffensen weighs up the future TIM CLARKE
April 13, 2010 - 7:36AM
Furious John Steffensen is still undecided as to whether he will run in this weekend’s national athletics titles in Perth – claiming again he has no support from those in charge of Australian athletics in his battle against injury.
The Perth-born former Commonwealth champion has been left furious in the build up to the championships at Perth’s new athletics stadium, after being overlooked for an injury exemption meaning he has to run to qualify for the Commonwealth Games.
Just 12 weeks since having an operation to cure a longstanding back injury, Steffensen says he is an 80 per cent chance to run – but the missing 20 per cent was the element that would make him competitive.
And in a blistering attack on Australia’s high performance manager Eric Hollingsworth, Steffensen questioned his credentials as a coach and administrator.
“I read Eric’s comments in the Telegraph, and I did not expect anything else from him – I don’t know Eric much as a coach so I don’t think he would understand my position,” Steffensen said.
"I love running, but unfortunately we had surgery 12 weeks ago and we ran out of time, the nationals have come in the way.
"We tried our best and we have not really made a decision whether we will run or not, we will wait until the day.
“I am about 80 per cent – but that 20 per cent is what makes you perform well, which is the sprint side of things.”
In another stand-off between the former Commonwealth champion and Australian athletics chiefs, Hollingsworth said in interviews over the weekend that the 27-year old needed to prove himself again
“John is looking at the world through those glasses of the 2006 Commonwealth Games when he was the man,” Hollingsworth said.
“That was four years ago. He must establish himself again.”
But Steffensen said not only was that an attack on him, but also his coach John Smith, who worked with Maurice Greene in his golden era and currently has the world’s fastest woman Carmelita Jeter under his wing.
“If you keep pushing me with this back injury what type of performance do you think you are going to get out of me?” Steffensen said.
"It is about having some understanding and treating me with some respect and giving me some support knowing that I had back surgery.
"My coach believes – and he has got the fastest woman in the world at the moment – and if he didn’t he would not call me every morning at 11am from America.
“What (Eric) did say is questioning John Smith … and that is a big call from a coach that has done nothing.”
The 400m heats at the national titles will be run on Friday night.
I just wanted to comment on the Paul Hallam reference to Olivia.
When I was in Oz, Paul brought her to Nanny’s track for me to see along with another un-named girl (he wasn’t allowed to attend my seminars).
While Olivia was good, this other girl showed me more raw ability and improved with every suggestion in each run.
During a water break,I asked Paul Nancarraw who she was and he said it was PH’s step-daughter, Jascinta. Paul H had made no reference to her at all- beyond no favoritism.
At the end of 3 sessions in a week, Jascinta had improved beyond recognition and, as you know went on to do well as a finallist in 100mH at the world youth games. Olivia did well too IMO but it’s tougher in the open sprints.
I’ve lost track of what’s happened since.
My feeling (and personal experience) is that athletes shouldn’t be passed on without a very good reason and support from centers should be brough to the coach who developed them and already knows them best. This is a center-based idea rather than an athlete based free-for-all.
Olivia Tauro ran 11.71 and 23.90 and made the 200m final at the 2005 World Youth Games having just turned 15. At the 2007 Youth Games, she ran 11.83 and 24.13 and didn’t make a final. At the 2008 World Juniors, she ran 24.09. She will be 20 this year, and her PBs are all at least 2 years old: 11.68 (fom 2007), 23.62 (from 2008) and 53.21 (from 2007). She now focuses on the 400m, where she always runs a devastating first 300m and then dies badly over the last 80m or so.
You can see her running in lane seven here: http://www.runnerstribe.com/event/main/video/id/236825-NSW-Track-and-Field-Championships-2010/vid/322754-NSW-Champs-2010-Women-400
Jacinta Doyle had her best year in 2007, got slower in 2008 and doesn’t seem to be competing anymore now.
Unfortunately these types of stories are all too common amongst young Australian sprint talents.
That last 100m, moreso, the last 40m could be one of the most painful last 40m ive ever seen! lucky she made it to the line!
Coach Penny Gillies has been like a fairy godmother to Olivia, who does have some issues. If Olivia can get back in control and take care of herself she might yet do pretty well, at least she is gutsy and a personable kid.
The reason for Paul Hallum reference, a young man from my home town is an a AFL development team, apparently Paul boasted to the team that he is John Steffensens assistant coach.
Jacinta had been coached by PH for years, well before he became her step dad, she won the Aust titles back to back for a long time, Liv always came 4th. Things changed.
I passed Liv to Warren because her mom had not long had a new baby and she had a minor car accident coming to training, Warren was closer to where they live and we can communicate. I tried getting Liv in a local school and made the mistake of ringing the NSWIS for assistance, Paul was their sprint coach. Things changed from there, not long after I was deemed too professional (council employees wording) and was required to pay up to $450 for ground usage at local council parks to train even 1 kid.
I know Liv is now training with an old foe, I would really love her to do something special next weekend, only god knows how many obsticles she has had to overcome over the years.
… thanks kitkat lol
Is this story so good you felt the need to post it for the second time on this same page. LOL.
Sorry to hear all that. As an outsider, I have only the snapshot of the time I was there.
Ideally, the athlete who develops an athlete is in the best position to stay with them with support from whoever can or will help.
There’s an old saying: "Managers (read coaches do) while administrators (read federations) control. All federations live to drive a wedge between coaches on the outside and towards those they have control over. I experienced the same shit myself.
Then we have to get over it or die inside. I join cf in 2006 after wasting close to 3 grand going through the proper channels in Aust, I say waste because they do not seem to know what I wanted to learn. I wanted to learn how to understand programming, you appear to know it. Liv got to no1 here training for 2 1/2 hours a week, Warren kept her improving and at her first World Youth she was the only Aust athlete to run pb’s.
Up until recently I was coaching a young man 23, if I had not called it off he would have won the 400m at Perth this weekend, he is waiting for me to call him with a time and place. I don’t want to go there again, on the bright side it appears he is on way to being a member of the Somalian National soccer team.
KK what else is news.
Guess you are right, nothing but shit.
I have uploaded some photos have a look,
Both J.S & O.T. in the finals.
Heat 3: 1, John Steffensen, NSWIS, 46.20Q. 2, Yoshihiro Horigome, JPN,
46.71Q. 3, Andrew Boudrie, VIC, 47.18q. 4, Paul Cummings, NSW, 47.79. 5, Clay Watkins, SASI, 48.22. 6, Mitchell Cromb, VIC, 48.40. 7, Alex Glorie, WA, 48.47. 8, Andrew Giam, VIC, 48.64.
Women 400 Metres Open
Heat 1: 1, Joanne Cuddihy, IRL, 53.05Q. 2, Tamsyn Lewis, VIC, 53.49Q. 3, Olivia Tauro, NSW, 54.88Q. 4, Stephanie Mollica, VIC, 55.36q. 5, Angeline Blackburn, AIS, 55.84. 6, Joanne Stannard, WA, 56.14. 7, Shayleigh Gould, QLD, 56.94. 8, Caitlin Stanley, SA, 57.18.
Steffensen (probably) qualified for the Commonwealth Games:
1 Ben Offereins 86 WAIS 45.17 CA
2 John Steffensen 84 NSWIS 45.72 CB
3 Joel Milburn 86 NSWIS 45.75 CB
4 Sean Wroe 85 VIS 45.98 CB
5 Kevin Moore 90 NSW 46.72
6 David Burke 89 VIC 47.03
7 Andrew Boudrie 85 VIC 47.11
8 Yoshihiro Horigome 81 JPN 47.26
What happened to Clay Watkins? 48.22 in his heat. Matt Lynch also disappointed running 47.97 and not making the final.
BTW: Tom Burbidge (Stawell gift winner) ran 48.29 in the heats.
Olivia Tauro didn’t run the 400m final, after running 54.88 in her heat.
100m Finals
1 Aaron Rouge-Serret 88 VIS 10.32 CB 0.4 (10.17 on the same track this season)
2 Matt Davies 85 QAS 10.44 0.4 (10.23 on the same track this season)
3 Jacob Groth 85 NSW 10.45 0.4
4 Patrick Johnson 72 QAS 10.47 0.4 (10.18 on the same track this season)
5 Isaac Ntiamoah 82 NSW 10.52 0.4
6 Kota Sakuma 85 JPN 10.56 0.4
7 Tim Leathart 89 NSW 10.59 0.4
8 Liam Gander 88 NSW 10.63 0.4 (10.41 on the same track this season)
9 Tim Rooke 86 VIC 10.68
What happened to the super fast track in Perth? Have they made it longer?
That set sounds extremely difficult. What would be the rest interval? Michael Johnson, at his peak, did 3x200 in 23 seconds with one and a half minutes rest.
4 Sean Wroe 85 VIS 45.98 CB 4th, I wonder if that p rick Eric saw that coming, ironic that his own man meets the fate which he thought Steff would get. Finishing 4th = no individual spot.
I never thought JS would not make it just like I thought OT wouldn’t. I have seen them both at training recently (not with me). Sometimes a fairy godmother isn’t enough.
If selection is right then SW will only be a relay runner and BO, JS, JM will be the individuals.
Wonder how much power a national head coach can sway a 3rd spot to be left open for his athletes (I am sure there will be others from that group who miss the boat).
100m times.
Maybe having an IAAF official there may have zerod in the starting gun and timing? Maybe it was never set right.
Can any one explain the time differences from the past 3 mths to now. I assume athletes are peaking for this meet and not already in training for CG later in the year after posting an A qualifer early in the season:confused:
We will never know but on the upside we got a bit of publicity, got to be a plus. Still makes more sense to hold the Nats later then the top 3 go and no 4 is in the relay.
Have you guys read the selection criteria, only first and second matter coming third and fourth mean nothing. The selection committee will go back and look at the times Milburn and Wroe have run and pick from there, coming third does not = a single spot. Have a look at the times and the A qualifiers each has done.
400m
A (45.65) 44.86 Ben Offereins (W) Sydney AUS 27/02/10
[45.32 Offereins (W) Canberra AUS 30/01/10]
[45.53 Offereins (W) Perth AUS 15/01/10]
45.28 John Steffensen (N) Rome ITA 10/07/09
[45.37 Steffensen (N) Berlin GER 18/08/09]
45.31 Sean Wroe (V) Berlin GER 18/08/09
[45.40 Wroe (V) Sydney AUS 27/02/10]
[45.63 Wroe (V) London GBR 25/07/09]
45.56 Joel Milburn (N) Berlin GER 18/08/09
Based on performance I would pick Wroe ahead of Milburn and I think the selectors will do the same, nothing to do with Hollingsworth.