BRISBANE, Jan 22 - Former pin-up Tatiana Grigorieva made a winning return to Australian competition today but recognised she had turned from the hunted into the hunter.
Grigorieva fought off one challenger, Alana Boyd, when she won the pole vault at the Queensland athletics championships but her clearance of 4.20m was well below the mark, set yesterday in Perth, of West Australian Kym Howe.
Howe reportedly recorded a personal best 4.50m in the Perth meet to grab favouritism for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in March.
The trio, who have all posted A-qualifying leaps (4.30m), will face off in the national selection trials in Sydney from February 2-5.
Grigorieva scaled 4.55m in winning silver at the Sydney Olympics but was not perturbed by today’s performance as blustery winds and high temperatures took their toll.
The Russian-born athlete, back home this week after three months training in Italy with world champion Yelena Isinbayeva, had three run-throughs in attempting 4.30m after clearing 4.20m with her third and final jump at the mark.
Kym's put some more pressure on me,'' Grigorieva said.
The field is going to be very strong (at the nationals).
But competition's what still motivates me. I still haven't put my best jumps together.'' Gold Coast teenager Sally McLellan was the unchallenged star of the two-day Brisbane meet at QEII, winning the 200m today to go with victories in the 100m and 100m hurdles yesterday. McLellan (23.50s) edged out Melanie Kleeberg to take the 200m while Lauren Hewitt (24.08) finished third in a personally pleasing return from foot surgery. Racing time, Hewitt is desperate to make the Australian team for her home Games and was buoyed by the improvement in her joint only nine weeks post-surgery. Sydney-based Ambrose Enzenwa, an Olympic 4x100 relay bronze medallist for Nigeria at Athens, celebrated his release from his former homeland with victory in the 200m. Enzenwa (20.73) set a B-qualifying time in beating Kris Neofytou and Adam Miller after race favourite Daniel Batman :eek: withdrew from the event. A highlight of the day was 17-year-old Kane Brigg's B-qualifying high jump of 2.21m to rank him second in the country behind NSW's Nick Moroney. Brigg followed the jump with an animated celebration in honour of
miracle-working’’ coach Gary Bourne.
Former world champion silver medallist Joanna Nixon (nee Stone) easily won the javelin with a 53.85m throw last night.
Nixon has already made the A-qualifying mark since making her comeback last last year and will compete with Victorian Kathryn Mitchell and West Australian Kim Mickle at the national trials.
Athens Olympian Justin Anlezark continued his strong comeback from injury, hurling 19.51m to win the shot put.