National Title for Parnov as de Rozario Earns Para Athletics Worlds Selection
Western Australia’s track and field talent has returned title winning efforts in open, age and para classifications at the 2017 Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney.
Pole vaulter Liz Parnov won a fourth national championship title, whilst there were also open medals for WA across both track and field disciplines. Paralympians Madison de Rozario and Ella Pardy both won track titles, whilst Sarah Edmiston became a national champion for the first time in the ambulant discus, complete with a Para Athletics World Championship qualifying mark.
Sasha Zhoya completed a brilliant age national campaign, winning four gold medals in total, combining two medals in both U16 and U17 competitions in a dominant display over a range of events.
The elusive chase for a World Championship qualifier will head to Europe for Liz Parnov after she claimed national bragging rights with a best clearance of 4.30m in the women’s pole vault final. Kiwi competitor Eliza McCartney was the best of all-comers, clearing 4.50m.
Training partner Nina Kennedy – who earned an A-Qualifier in Perth earlier in 2017 – did not compete in the final after withdrawing following a minor niggle experienced in the warm-up. Kennedy was however announced on the Australian Flame team for the 2017 titles at the culmination of the Australian Championships.
The A-Qualifying mark for the women’s pole vault stands at 4.55m and Parnov will now prepare for a European tour later in 2017, to attack the height and push for selection on the Australian team for the world titles in London next August.
Brianna Beahan ran a superb 12.96sec for second place and a silver medal in the final of the women’s 100m hurdles behind Sally Pearson, who made a triumphant return to racing, winning gold in 12.53. Beahan’s time was not recognised as an A-Qualifier by virtue of an illegal wind (2.3).
The result saw Beahan finish ahead of Rio Olympian Michelle Jenneke and will fill her with confidence that she can eclipse the A-Qualifying time of 12.98secs before the July 23 deadline.
The rise of middle distance runner Matthew Ramsden gathered pace with the 19 year-old taking silver in the final of the men’s 1500m in 3:53.12 behind national champion Ryan Gregson.
Javelin thrower Luke Cann collected a silver medal in the men’s final, with a final round effort of 79.58m catapulting the former Victorian up four places into second.
Gold went to Tasmanian Hamish Peacock – who claimed the national title with a throw of 84.36m which also saw him collect a World Championships A-Qualifier.
There was a four way jam atop the leaderboard of the women’s high jump final, with victory awarded to 2016 Olympian Eleanor Patterson on countback with a shared clearance of 1.83m. Western Australians Zoe Timmers (silver) and Clare Gibson (bronze) joined the Victorian on the podium, whilst Nicola McDermott – who also cleared 1.83m had to settle for fourth.
Stephen Clough cleared 5.15m for a bronze medal in the final of the men’s pole vault, which was won by South Australian Kurtis Marschall (5.45m).
Rio Olympian Peter Bol ran eighth in the final of the men’s 800m, whilst in the men’s triple jump – 2016 Australian Youth World Championship representative Julian Konle finished ninth with a best effort of 15.03m.
Triple Paralympian Madison de Rozario earned herself selection for the Australian Flame team to compete at the 2017 Para-Athletics World Championships in London when she produced a commanding performance in the women’s 1500m wheelchair final, to win in 3:50.27 ahead of Jemimia Moore and Christie Dawes.
The 23 year-old was one of six Paralympians to officially book a berth for the 2017 world titles and more broadly was one of only 20 track and field athletes to date, to have officially earned selection for the Australian Flame team at the close of the 2017 Australian Championships.
2016 Paralympic debutant Ella Pardy ensured that she will be in selector’s thinking, taking gold in the women’s 200m ambulant final and bronze in 100m ambulant.
Pardy was first to the line in both finals, taking the national title win in 200m with a 93.04% quotient against her classification’s world record benchmark, having earlier claimed bronze in the 100m race, accruing a 92.11% quotient behind Kobie Donovan (98.67%) and Isis Holt (97.49%).
Sarah Edmiston earned a maiden national title in the women’s discus throw ambulant, recording a distance of 34.31m to finish clear of Rae Anderson and Nicole Robertson.
Edmiston also collected bronze in the shot put final, with a best heave of 8.23m to close a successful campaign for the Marangaroo resident.
Chris Barty enjoyed a busy campaign, winning the javelin throw secured final (16.01m), whilst also taking bronze in the shot put secured final (7.04m) and finishing fourth in discus throw secured final (19.51m).
In the women’s 100m wheelchair ambulant final, WA athlete Robyn Lambird collected a bronze medal, crossing the line in 21.97sec.
Western Australia’s 14 year-old sensation Sasha Zhoya produced a powerhouse display in Sydney, adding titles in the U16 long jump, U16 200m and U17 110m hurdles to the U17 pole vault title he won late last week.
There was also a strong glimpse to the future in the girl’s U15 pole vault with the 13 year-old twin daughters of WAIS pole vault coach Alex Parnov taking gold and silver. Alla Parnov cleared 3.30m to add to the U14 title she had already won, whilst Natasha Parnov took silver with 3.10m.