Wheeler Makes Impressive Start to the Heptathlon

Published On: 15 August 2008

WAIS track and field athlete Kylie Wheeler has posted a season’s best in the 100m hurdles and a personal best in the high jump, making a great start to the heptathlon at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Wheeler has kicked off the athletics competition for the team this morning as the first Australian athlete to hit the track. Running from lane nine, Wheeler finished in fifth place in her hurdles heat with a time of 13.68, just 0.05 seconds out of her personal best time of 13.63.

In the high jump, Wheeler soared over her previous personal best height of 1.86m, to set a new PB of 1.89m. American Hyleas Fountain was the only other athlete to jump over 1.86m, equalling Wheeler’s performance of 1.89m. The heptathlon continues from 7.00pm tonight (Friday) with the shot put and 200m.

Day two of the heptathlon will see Wheeler perform in her strongest event, the long jump, before finishing the competition with javelin and the 800m.