Offereins in Form on European Track Circuit

WAIS track and field athletes were involved in a busy weekend campaign in Stockholm, Lucerne and the Gold Coast, with Ben Offereins and Jody Henry enjoying podium finishes.

For Offereins, the weekend gave him his first crack at European racing for the season, with the 400m national champion competing in IAAF meets in Sweden and Switzerland.

Offereins drew the prize lane in the men’s 400m in Stockholm but was denied the opportunity of racing against a legend of the sport with the late withdrawal of two-time world champion and 2004 Olympic title-holder Jeremy Wariner of the USA.

Running from lane four, the 24-year-old recovered from a slow start to lead a field that included 44.10 man Gary Kikaya (COD) through the first 200m. Still in front at 300m, Offereins began to tire in the final straight, crossing the line fourth in 46.21.

Offereins said he gave himself every chance of winning his 2010 European debut.

“I had a crack. I didn’t feel like I was going that fast so I didn’t think it would hurt that much but 50m down the straight I just blew up,” he said.

“I was feeling great at 300m and then it hit me.”

Offereins bounced back to claim silver at the Lucerne meet on Sunday, running a quick 45.70 to show his form ahead of the build up to October’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

Also in action in Lucerne were the WAIS pole vault squad of Alana Boyd, Liz Parnov and Amanda Bisk. In the first serious hit out since basing themselves with WAIS coach Alex Parnov in Cologne, Germany for the European season – each recorded top ten finishes, with Boyd, Parnov and Bisk placing 7th (4.15m), 8th (4.15m) and 9th (4.00m) respectively.

Women’s national 400m champion Jody Henry was unable to snare an elusive A-Qualifier in her showdown with Olympian Tamsyn Lewis on the Gold Coast. Henry won the race in a time of 53.00 ahead of Lewis (53.37).