Mickle Throws Personal Best at Sydney Track Classic
WAIS javelin thrower and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Kim Mickle has achieved a new personal best at the Sydney Track Classic, setting a World Championship A-qualifier in the process.
Mickle heaved the javelin 63.82m to convincingly win the Sydney leg of the Australian Athletics Tour and now leaves the five time national champion assured of a spot on the Australian Flame World Championship team for this year’s event in Daegu, South Korea, if she can win a sixth Australian crown at next month’s nationals in Melbourne.
Making Mickle’s feat even more impressive was the fact it was the 26 year-old’s first competition for 2011 since overcoming a foot injury that had literally seen her walking in a protective boot just two and half weeks ago.
A mixed series of throws that included two fouls was concluded by her monster effort in the final round of competition to take home the eight points for victory and five bonus points for a top 16 IAAF outdoor rankings performance.
NSWIS scholarship holder Laura Cornford (57.74m, six points) was second, with Flame athlete Kathryn Mitchell (53.48m, four points) third.
The next competition on Mickle’s radar is the WA Athletics State Championships being held this weekend at the WA Athletics Stadium, before the big Athletics Tour Final at the same venue the following week, where Mickle will be looking to capture the inaugural throws division Tour Championship.
WAIS pole vaulter and Commonwealth Games champion Alana Boyd claimed victory on countback ahead of American challenger Chelsea Johnson. In unfavourable conditions – including teaming rain and strong swirling wind – Boyd managed to clear 4.10m before missing at 4.30m. Boyd was declared the winner after Johnson failed to clear above Boyd’s height and had required an extra jump to match Boyd’s 4.10m. Fellow WAIS vaulter Amanda Bisk finished fourth with 3.80m.
WAIS 400m national champion Ben Offereins finished second behind triple Olympic champion Angelo Taylor (USA) who took the sprint double with victory in the 200m to match. Offereins crossed the line in a time of 46.16 to take the top Australian billing for the event.
In other Sydney Track Classic results:
Round 4 of the Australian Athletics Tour has thrilled a crowd of almost 5000 in wet conditions at Sydney Olympic Park tonight, with Australia’s best track and field stars joining a bounty of international heavyweights in delivering an athletics showcase at the 2011 Sydney Track Classic.
Leading the charge on the runway was Mitchell Watt, with the world and world indoor championships bronze medallist soaring 8.38m (w: +1.5) to win and secure his first IAAF world championships qualifier.
Returning to the sandpit after missing much of 2010 through injury, Watt’s form has been gradually building. An 8.13m (w: +0.1) leap to win in Brisbane three weeks ago was followed by 7.98m (w: +1.2) for victory at the IAAF Melbourne Track Classic just over a fortnight ago.
“Four fouls across the series was strange, it just took some time to work out where my run up should have started from,” Watt said.
“It’s only my third competition back and some things are taking a little bit of time to get used to again but there are definitely bigger things to come”
Watt’s performances sits within the top 4 of the IAAF outdoor rankings, and as such the Queenslander heads home with eight points for victory and ten bonus points to take a commanding lead in the jumps division of the Australian Athletics Tour.
“It felt great to get out that far; 8.08m was good but to get to the world champs (sic) qualifier is great, it was a bigger jump than I won bronze with in Berlin.”
Rounding out the top three was Kane Brigg (second, 7.58m, w: +0.2) and Shaun Fletcher (third, 7.54m, w: +2.2).
In other field highlights:
– World discus champion Dani Samuels heaved 58.34m (eight points + two bonus points) to win the women’s discus throw and continue her push for the Australian Athletics Tour throws title.
– Olympic and world champion Valerie Adams dominated the women’s shot put with a winning 20.55m best throw, two centimetres shy of her own meet record.
– In the men’s event, it was Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Dale Stevenson who took victory with a best mark of 19.74m (eight points + two bonus points).
On the track, 800m world record holder David Rudisha stole the show by dominating a scintillating two laps to win in a time of 1:44.81.
Despite being unable to improve on his 1:43.88 at the IAAF Melbourne Track Classic, Rudisha’s time was a meet record and caps off an outstanding showcase by the African champion Down Under this year.
“My run tonight was good, the conditions here were wet and tough and a 1:44 on a night like this is satisfying, I am feeling very strong and confident” Rudisha said.
“From here I will head back to Kenya and continue the build to Daegu with the Doha Diamond League my first major hit out after Australia.
“I love competing here, I was here last year and my results always seem to be good so I hope to be back.”
Local favourite and national champion Lachlan Renshaw blistered the straight to place second (1:46.06) ahead of fellow New South Welshman James Gurr (third, 1:46.62), whilst Olympic 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop (KEN) placed 5th in a time of 1:46.80.
Olympic silver medallist Sally Pearson once again dominated the women’s short sprints by clocking a meet record 11.21 (w: +0.1) to win the 100m and 23.12 (w: -0.2) to take line honours in the 200m.
Narrowly missing the IAAF world championships qualifier of 44 seconds with her 4x100m relay team mates Melissa Breen, Laura Whaler and Charlotte Van Veenendaal, Pearson burst out of the blocks in her individual events with a point to prove.
“I am really, really exhausted after the treble tonight, but the 100m result really pushed me to go hard in the 200m,” Pearson said.
“I couldn’t have been happier with my 100m, and was rapt by my start in the 200m.
“Things are starting to come together, my race plans are working and hopefully strong results will continue to follow.”
Pearson now heads to the Go for 2&5 Australian Athletics Tour Final in Perth as leader of the sprints/hurdles division with 20 points.
In the men’s sprints, it was American Angelo Taylor who reigned supreme.
Edging out up and coming sprinting sensation Nicholas Hough (second, 21.03) to win the 200m in a time of 20.71 (w: -0.1), Taylor (45.71) returned to the track for victory in the men’s 400m ahead of national champion Ben Offereins (second, 46.16) and outstanding 17-year-old Steven Solomon (third, 46.24).
In other track highlights:
– Estonian Maris Magi stopped the clock at 52.21 to win a thrilling women’s 400m, with 15-time national champion Tamsyn Lewis second (52.26) and American Monica Hargrove (52.33) third.
– Jamaican Kenia Sinclair (4:06.50) won the women’s 1500m, with the surprise performance coming from 15-year-old Anna Laman (NSW) who clocked 4:13.62 to place fourth.
– A likely challenger to Sally Pearson in the sprints/hurdles title race, Commonwealth Games representative Lauren Boden clocked 56.41 to win the women’s 400m hurdles.
– Clocking 3:39.03, Flame athlete Jeremy Roff took home eight points for winning the men’s 1500m, edging out American Craig Miller (second, 3:39.42) and Queenslander Nicholas Toohey (third, 3:39.87).
The Australian Athletics Tour now heads to Perth, with the West Australian capital set to play host to the Australian Athletics Tour Final on Thursday, March 31 and Friday, April 1.
With all championship events on the timetable, Australia’s best track and field stars will battle it out across four divisions (sprints/hurdles, jumps, throws, distance) with bonus points set to make the title races thrilling until the very end.
– With Athletics Australia