Sydney Grand Prix Tune-up for WA Commonwealth Games Athletes

Three of Western Australia’s track and field representatives have tuned up for next month’s Commonwealth Games with competition at the Sydney Grand Prix.

Pole vaulters Liz Parnov and Declan Carruthers both earned victories in their respective competitions, whilst Luke Cann took third place in the javelin.

Parnov earned automatic selection for a third Commonwealth Games at last month’s national titles on the Gold Coast when the 23 year-old finished second behind training partner Nina Kennedy.

In Sydney, Parnov claimed victory following a clearance at 4.35m, to win ahead of Queenslander Lisa Campbell at 4.15m.

Parnov enjoyed first attempt clearances at 4.05m, 4.15m and 4.25m before electing to pass at 4.30m and then jumping 4.35m at the third attempt.

Fellow West Aussie Lauren Hyde-Cooling was fourth on 3.70m, just a day after she’d recorded another U20 World Championship qualifier at the Australian Junior titles. Hyde-Cooling cleared a new personal best of 4.06m and has put herself firmly in the selection frame from representative honours later in 2018.

Declan Carruthers won the men’s pole vault competition over his Australian Commonwealth Games teammate Angus Armstrong (NSW).

Carruthers cleared at 5.40m, with Armstrong registering a best height of 5.30m. The duo will be joined by recent World Indoor Championships representative Kurtis Marschall in the men’s pole vault squad on the Gold Coast.

Luke Cann will compete at a second Commonwealth Games when he lines up in the men’s javelin at Carrara Stadium next month. However in Sydney, it was his WA training partner Cruz Hogan making an impression after he extended his own personal best to 77.44m for second place behind winner Hamish Peacock – who threw 77.78m.

Cann was third, recording a best throw of 76.49m with his final round effort.

Australian throws coach Grant Ward – who coaches the pair – also saw another of his emerging talents in Lara Ilievski set a huge personal best at the Australian Junior Championships to register a World U20 qualification mark.

Ilievski registered 52.08m, advancing her PB by over five metres in the process.

There was also another qualifying standard for WA middle-distance runner Melany Smart, who ran 9:20.07mins in the women’s 3000m.