National Title for Parnov at Aus Champs

WAIS athlete Liz Parnov has won the women’s pole vault title at the 2016 Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney.

Competing on Saturday evening, Parnov entered competition at 4.20m, which she was able to clear at first go. The London Olympian then raised the bar to 4.30m but needed all three attempts to clear at this height and wrap up the national title.

Parnov then attempted 4.40m but couldn’t progress in three attempts, denying her a shot at the Olympic A-Qualifying standard of 4.50m.

Despite missing an automatic qualification for the Rio Olympics, Parnov said through a social media account that she is looking forward to the challenge of earning her ticket to South America.

“Happy with gold today at the Australian track and field national championships.” 

“Unfortunately no Olympic qualifier for me tonight, but really excited to move back to my full run and work towards getting myself to Rio,” Parnov said, via Instagram.

Fellow WAIS athlete Nina Kennedy picked up the silver medal at Sydney Olympic Park, after she cleared 4.20m at the third and final attempt. Kennedy claimed second place over Vicky Parnov, who cleared 4.10m, before opting to re-enter competition at 4.30m, which like Kennedy, she was unable to negotiate on the night.

WAIS scholarship athlete Emma Philippe was fourth, with a best clearance of 3.90m.

In the men’s decathlon, Jake Stein showed an impressive range of skills in finishing second behind national champion and Rio 2016 selected athlete Cedric Dubler.

Stein accrued 7643 points over the two days of competition and led the field in the three throws events of shot put (15.01m), discuss (48.16m) and javelin (62.81m), evidencing his work with WAIS throws coach Grant Ward, since his winter 2015 move to Perth from his native NSW.

It was the 2014 Commonwealth Games representative’s first decathlon in nearly two years, and provided plenty of evidence that the 22 year-old has a great deal of future potential in the gruelling event.

In the women’s 100m hurdles final, WAIS scholarship athlete Brianna Beahan ran another personal best (13.03secs) for second place, a mere three hundredths of a second off the Olympic A-Qualifying standard of 13.00 seconds flat.

Her time earned her a silver medal, with national champion Michelle Jenneke (12.93secs) earning herself a ticket to Rio where she will run for Australia alongside the defending Olympic champion Sally Pearson, who missed nationals through injury.

WAIS high jumper Zoe Timmers won herself a silver medal in the women’s final, clearing 1.87m to finish behind Australian Flame representative Eleanor Patterson (1.90m) who was announced post nationals to make her Olympic debut in Rio.

Madison de Rozario, who holds scholarships with both WAIS and NSWIS, earned herself silver in the women’s 1500m wheelchair behind training partner and fellow Paralympian Angela Ballard.

Ballard won the race in 4:19.47mins with de Rozario crossing next in 4:20.46mins. Both athletes are expected to represent Australia in Brazil at September’s Paralympic Games.

Fellow Paralympian and WAIS scholarship holder Brad Scott won a bronze medal in the men’s 1500m ambulant, crossing in 4:17.46mins behind Tasmania Deon Kenzie and Victorian Jaryd Clifford.

WAIS scholarship athlete Lyndsay Pekin won bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles final, clocking 58.13secs for third place with Lauren Wells (56.89) earning herself a ninth national title and ticket to Rio.

In the men’s javelin final, WAIS athletes Luke Cann and Cruz Hogan finished third and fifth respectively out of the competing Australian field, with Cann registering a best throw of 78.04m and Hogan, 68.01m.

Dual WAIS Athlete of the Year, Kim Mickle was named on the Australian Olympic Team post national championships, with the 10-time national champion set to compete in her second Olympic Games in Rio, having debuted in London in 2012.

The deadline for athletes that have yet to secure an Olympic A-Qualifier, in order to make a case for Rio selection, extends to the end of June, with the AOC expected to announce its final track and field squad for Rio on July 12.