Athletics Australia adds seventeen to Olympic nomination list

posted by rtsam on March 6, 2012, 1:56am

Following the Qantas Melbourne Track Classic & Olympic Trials, Athletics Australia has identified a further 17 athletes for nomination to the Australian Olympic Committee in June brendan cole subject to them meeting ongoing form and fitness requirements.

Youcef Abdi (NSW, 3000m steeplechase), Brendan Cole (ACT, 400m hurdles), Henry Frayne (Qld, triple jump), Craig Mottram (Vic, 5000m) and Jeff Riseley (Vic, 800m) are all eligible for automatic nomination under the Athletics Australia Nomination Criteria.

These five athletes have been identified as a result of finishing first in their respective event at the Qantas Melbourne Track Classic & Olympics Trials and having recorded an Athletics Australia qualifying standard or distance either at or at least twice prior to the event since the qualifying period commenced on 1 May 2011 (for all events except the marathon, 10,000m, combined events and walks, whose period has run since 1 January 2011).

craig mottram

Claire Tallent (ACT) and Jared Tallent (Vic), who is already eligible for nomination in the 50km event, have also been identified for nomination after winning the Australian 20km Race Walking Championships in Hobart (Tas) in an Olympic qualifying time.

In addition, the following athletes have been identified discretionary nominations based on Clause D (4) of the Athletics Australia 2012 Nomination Criteria:

Collis Birmingham (Vic, 5000m)

Lauren Boden (ACT, 400m hurdles)

Alana Boyd (WA, pole vault)

Zoe Buckman (Vic, 1500m)

Henry Frayne (Qld, long jump)

Regan Lamble (ACT, 20km walk)

Beki Lee (NSW, 20km walk)

Kaila McKnight (Vic, 1500m)

Liz Parnov (WA, pole vault)

Dani Samuels (NSW, discus)

Ben St Lawrence (NSW, 10,000m)

Julian Wruck (Vic, discus)

lauren boden Frayne becomes the first Australian since Ian Tomlinson in 1964 to have qualified for nomination in both the triple jump and long jump at an Olympic Games. The 20-year-old jumped 8.27m in the long jump at the Sydney Track Classic and then won the event in Melbourne with a best of 8.09m.

Also victorious in Sydney was Boden, whose time of 55.45 saw her dip under the Olympic qualifying time of 55.50 and maintain a consistently improving run of form throughout the domestic season.

Boyd has cleared the Olympic qualifying standard of 4.50m a staggering eight times since the qualifying period commenced, which includes a new Australian record of 4.76m set in Perth late last month. She is joined by training partner Parnov, who faces the prospect of competing at the IAAF world junior championships in Barcelona (ESP) just weeks prior to the 2012 Olympic Games.

collis birmingham Birmingham’s Olympic qualifying standards in the 5000m were set in his namesake city in England last year at the Diamond League meet and at the Briggs Athletics Classic last month. Samuels also recorded her qualifying standard in Birmingham last July.

If selected by the AOC to the 2012 Australian Olympic Team, Boden, Buckman, Frayne, Lamble, Lee, Parnov, McKnight, St Lawrence and Wruck will make their Olympic debut in London.

The 17 named athletes above join a previously identified eight of:

Luke Adams (NSW, 50km walk)

Jarrod Bannister (Vic, javelin)

Nathan Deakes (ACT, 50km walk)

Benn Harradine (Vic, discus)

Kim Mickle (WA, javelin)

Sally Pearson (Qld, 100m hurdles)

Jared Tallent (Vic, 50km walk)

Mitchell Watt (Qld, long jump)

These eight athletes together with today’s additional 17, including Frayne and J. Tallent in two events, take the total team count to 25 in 27 events.

Pearson, Boyd, Mottram and Frayne will all compete at the IAAF world indoor championships in Istanbul (TUR) this weekend, along with Dale Stevenson (Vic), who is in career best form after a 20.16m personal best on the weekend, and Ryan Foster (Tas).

Tags: craig mottram, collis birmingham, lauren boden, brendan cole
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on March 6, 2012, 2:07am

Gregson & Birmingham Standout in Eugene

posted by rtsam on June 4, 2011, 8:26pm

The headline Australian performances at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, USA, came from Ryan Gregson, who won the International Mile in a world-lead time of 3:53.86 and Collis Birmingham,who smashed his Personal Best in the two-mile by

over 20 seconds.

This was Gregson’s first individual race of the season and marked the beginning of his campaign for 1500m selection to the IAAF World Championships in August. He has only run faster twice before, with both times being recorded in 2010 when the 21-year-old also set a new Australian record in the 1500m. In Eugene, Gregson finished ahead of American pair David Torrence and Ben Blankenship respectively.

Gregson may have been the first Australian to take to the track on Saturday, but Birmingham rounded off the action with an equally impressive performance in a loaded two-mile race. The Australian Flame sat comfortably for the first five laps at the back of the lead pack, which was dominated by the Kenyans, including 5000m Commonwealth champion Eliud Kipchoge and former world 3000m youth champion Isaiah Kiplangat Koech.

As they entered the final lap seven athletes moved away, including Birmingham, but as they came off the back straight Bernard Lagat (USA) kicked and broke away.

The former world 5000m champion proved too strong for the rest of the field and held on for the win, while Birmingham’s effort to stay with the lead pack paid off with a seventh place finish and new PB of 8:17.91.

“It was a great result for Ryan to win that race. He’s a winner to start off with his first race with a win and in a strong field,” said Tim O’Shaughnessy, the National Distance Coordinator of Athletics Australia.

“Youcef (Abdi) I’m sure will be disappointed with his race but it’s early days for him right now. Lachlan (Renshaw) ran very well and Zoe (Buckman) ran tight to her best time in a very competitive field. So overall there have been some pretty good results.

“Collis certainly had a good placing. For him to improve his time in an event he doesn’t run that often is a great achievement. Seventh in that field is a good result.”

Lachlan Renshaw placed sixth in the 800m in 1:46.11, which is the fifth fastest time he has ever clocked. The 24-year-old found himself at the back of the pack as they came into the final bend but worked hard down the home straight to make up ground.

It was a testing race in which only Abou Kaki Khamis (SUD) went with the pacemaker, who cleared the first lap in 49.60. The world indoor champion maintained the pace and went on to win the race in 1:43.68, which is the fastest time in the world this season since David Rudisha’s (KEN) world-lead effort at the Melbourne Track Classic.

In the 3000m steeplechase Youcef Abdi finished in 10^th place in 8:52.32, while reigning world champion Ezekiel Kemboi (KEN) crossed the line first in 8:08.34, ahead of compatriot and meet record holder Paul Koeche (KEN).

Zoe Buckman faced a competitive 1500m field which included Olympic and Commonwealth champion Nancy Langat (KEN). However it was former world indoor champion Gelete Burka (ETH) and reigning world champion Maryam Jamal (BRN) whobattled it out for top honours.

Burka and Jamal were locked coming into the home straight but it was the Ethiopian who excelled and kicked to leave Jamal behind. Meanwhile Buckman finished 11^th with a time of 4:09.82, which was less than half a second off of her Personal Best.

The only Australian in action in the field was Fabrice Lapierre. Lapierre finished

fifth with a Season’s Best jump of 7.94m, which he recorded in round one. Britain’s Greg Rutherford, whom Lapierre beat at the Commonwealth Games last year to take gold, won the long jump by just one centimetre. He leapt to 8.32m in round five, which ensured he finished marginally ahead of the world and Olympic silver medalist Godfrey Mokoena (RSA).

On Friday evening Eloise Wellings finished 13^th in the 5000m in a time of 15:41.49. Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot (KEN) won and set a meet record in 14:33.96.

The Samsung Diamond League’s next stop is in Oslo on Thursday 9 June where as well as Usain Bolt (JAM) in the 200m, Lapierre (long jump) and Jeff Riseley (one mile) will also compete.

To view and download full results from Round 4 of the Samsung Diamond League, please click here.

ENDS

Tags: prefontaine classic, ryan gregson, collis birmingham
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on June 4, 2011, 8:50pm

The athletics world casts its eyes Down Under

posted by rtross on March 2, 2011, 2:42pm

One of the consequences of excellence is that the bar is set very high in terms of personal improvement.

Last year at the IAAF Melbourne Track Classic, David Rudisha ran his first 800m of what turned out to be an outstanding year, with hopes for a similar start to 2011 at the same meet this Thursday, March 3.

Clocking 1:43.15, Rudisha's run was not only the fastest ever run in Australia but the prelude for a season which saw him win the African championship and the Continental Cup and twice break the world record. The year ended with the 21-year-old acclaimed IAAF Male Athlete of the Year.

Rudisha hopes this year ends with acclaim of a slightly different sort - that which goes with winning a major title at the IAAF world championships in Daegu (KOR) this August.

"Having the world record and not a major title, it doesn't sound good," Rudisha stated at last Friday's John Landy Lunch.

Opposing Rudisha will be two sub 1:44 men in American Nick Symmonds (1:43.76) and Abraham Chepkirwok (1:43.72) of Uganda. Symmonds was sixth at the Berlin world championships in 2009, Chepkirwok fourth at the 2007 world championships and a semi-finalist at the Beijing Olympics.

Hoping to gatecrash this sort of company will be Lachlan Renshaw. The national champion, Renshaw will be looking to start 2011 strongly after being forced to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games final as a result of a hamstring injury.

Headed by the 2007 world champion, American Bernard Lagat, and a world championships medallist, Craig Mottram who won bronze in 2005, the 5000m contains a further three sub-13 minute men in Isaac Songok, Matt Tegenkamp and Chris Solinsky, as well as our own national champion in Ben St Lawrence, second-fastest ever in Collis Birmingham and Commonwealth Games representative David McNeill.

After two years battling with achilles tendon problems, Mottram on the track will be enough for most of Melbourne's passionate distance fans. If he is in there at the finish, the back-straight stand may well erupt.

Rounding out the excellent middle distance line up at this year's IAAF Melbourne Track Classic, an IAAF World Challenge Meet, is the men's 1500 metres, with the start list losing little to the 800m or 5000m in star quality.

Led by the Olympic gold and silver medallists Asbel Kiprop and Nick Willis, the field also contains last year's winner Jeff Riseley and American mile record holder Alan Webb. Kiprop will be eager to atone for last year's race when he tripped and fell after only 100 metres and, although quickly regaining his feet, could do no better than fourth place.

At the same time in the field, three world champions will take to the throwers circle.

Flame Dani Samuels in the discus, is one, while in the women's shot put Valerie Adams is Olympic champion to boot. Adams is in grand form, having thrown a New Zealand all-comers record 20.33m on the weekend in Auckland.

There is also one lurking in the men's shot put - if, at 133kg, Reese Hoffa could ever be described as lurking. The 2007 Osaka world champion is up against Dale Stevenson, who cracked the 20-metre mark in Hobart and is confident of achieving the 20.50m world championships qualifying standard.

Having headlined the first two meetings on the Australian Athletics Tour, Sally Pearson will no doubt be happy to have 'star' company in Melbourne, but she will also be just as determined to produce star performances in the women's 100m and 200m. The presence of American sprinter Mikele 'Miki' Barber, a member of the 2007 world championships gold medal 4x100m relay, could be the stimulus Pearson needs to push below 23 seconds in the 200m and closer to Melinda Gainsford-Taylor's national record of 11.12 in the 100m.

Mitchell Watt carries the rare distinction of bringing home a medal from every major competition he has entered, bronze at both the 2009 world championships and 2010 world indoor championships, but injury kept him out of the Commonwealth Games. He returned to the long jump with 8.13m in Brisbane last week and, given good conditions, could be up for something even better Thursday night.

Tamsyn Lewis may only be doing a two-lap event, but her endurance is not to be questioned. The 2008 world indoor champion at 800m is fronting up for her 14th consecutive IAAF Melbourne Track Classic. She will come up against Jamaican Kenia Sinclair, fifth in the Beijing Olympic final and second in last year's Continental Cup.

With Kelly Hetherington, who pushed Lewis in Hobart in Round 2 of the Australian Athletics Tour, national champion Katherine Katsanevakis and Erica Fountain also in the mix, something close to two minutes could be needed to win.

Finally, the men's 400m sees the return of John Steffensen, going up against Delhi silver medallist Sean Wroe, national champion Ben Offereins and Delhi relay gold medallist Kevin Moore. With all four men on the hunt for the 45.25 world championships qualifying standard this event looks set to be one hot lap.

A five-stop national tour, the 2011 Australian Athletics Tour boasts four divisions (sprints/hurdles, distance, throws, jumps) with male and female athletes in different events pitted against each other in the race for the largest prize purse in Australian athletics history.

The only IAAF World Challenge meet held in Australia, the IAAF Melbourne Track Classic doubles as Round 3 of the Australian Athletics Tour with many events providing an opportunity to score points in the race for their division title.

To view and download current start lists and the meet timetable for the IAAF Melbourne Track Classic, please click here<http://www.athletics.com.au/competition/events/australian_athletics_tour_-_me>

To view and download current leader boards of the Australian Athletics Tour, please click here<http://www.athletics.com.au/competition/events/201011_season_dates/aat_points>

With thanks to Len Johnson

Tags: IAAF Melbourne Track Classic, Daivd Rudisha, Nick Symmonds, Lachlan Renshaw, Craig Mottram, Ben St Lawrence, Collis Birmingham, David McNeill
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on March 2, 2011, 3:03pm

Solinsky: A Column By Len Johnson

posted by rtross on May 7, 2010, 3:19pm

By Len Johnson.

It’s taken a long time to do it and, in the end, the ‘wrong’ bloke in the race did it, but finally we have a non-African born runner under 27 minutes for 10,000 metres.

So, take a bow, Chris Solinsky. You’ve long since taken a victory lap: it was last Saturday at Stanford’s Payton Jordan Invitational that you won the 10,000 in 26 minutes 59.60 seconds, ahead of Kenyans Daniel Salel and Samuel Chelanga, and Galen Rupp, the man who was supposed to be taking down the American record that day.

I wonder if the track announcer paid hommage to Norris McWhirter along the lines “a time which is a new meeting and track record, and which subject to ratification will be a new US national record. The time is 26 _ “. At which point, the rest of the announcement was drowned out by cheering.

Probably not: after all, McWhirter was proclaiming history’s first sub-four minute mile by Roger Bannister when he used that form of words at Iffley Rd, Oxford, on 6 May, 1954. At Stanford, almost exactly 56 years later, Solinsky had merely set a national record and become the first non-African runner to achieve a feat already achieved by 30 athletes. His was not even a US all-comers’ record, Kenenisa Bekele having run a near-world record 26:25.97 in Eugene in 2008.

It was also, in a sense, a run that was long overdue. Yobes Ondieki ran the first sub-27 in Oslo in 1993 when he recorded 26:58.38 and since then, another 29 African-born runners had broken into 26-minute territory. The world record came down 30 seconds in the four years from Ondieki’s breakthrough to August 1997. It now stands to Bekele at 26:17.53.

Arturo Barrios of Mexico set a then world record 27:08.23 way back in 1989 (which remained the fastest by a non-African born runner until Solinsky). At 5000, Dave Moorcroft of Britain ran a world record 13:00.41 in 1982; five non-Africans, including Craig Mottram, have since run sub-13, and a dozen more in the 13-13:10 range. So the potential to run sub-27 has been long untapped.

Yet Solinsky’s was a run of great significance, both for him and for distance running in general. Much has been made of his size _ at 1.85m/73kg _ he is, like Mottram, a big man. So big men can run fast.

But Solinsky’s performance, taken in conjunction with those in recent years of Mottram,

Dathan Ritzenhein, Matt Tegenkamp and, to a lesser extent, Alan Webb, shows that non-Africans can be competitive in distance running and that their failure to do so is more a failure of will than a matter of genetic disadvantage, not being born at altitude, not being “hungry”, or whatever.

At a personal level, too, it is a big break-through. Solinsky, 25, has been a less-acclaimed member of the US revolution in distance running over the past few years. Despite excellent high-school and college performances, he has been in the shadow of Rupp, Ritzenhein and Tegenkamp.

Solinsky made his first major US team in the 5000 at least year’s world championships, finishing 12^th, a credible enough performance but one that was soon overtaken by the sub-13 runs of Ritzenhein and Tegenkamp. His most prominent international performance was probably his third behind Bekele and Mottram at 3000 metres in 2007 when he nearly caught the big Australian after Bekele had blasted away mid-race.

Coming into Stanford, too, the spotlight was directed elsewhere. Pre-race attention was all on Rupp and his search for a race in which he might break Meb Keflezighi’s US record 27:13.98. When he and mentor, Alberto Salazar, chose Stanford, it was big news. Few envisaged that he would run under the previous mark with 27:10.74 and wind up fourth and still without the national record.

Rupp helped Solinsky to the record, doing most of the leading from 4000 metres into the race until Solinsky, running his first full track 10,000, sprinted by with just over two laps remaining. He said later that he was not disappointed the others had left him leading.

"You can't blame other guys for doing what they did," Rupp said. "They did what gave them the best chance to win. I've sat on other people before and then outkicked them. That's part of the game."

And it’s a game that, thanks to the performances of the Americans, Craig Mottram, Collis Birmingham, and a handful of others who continue to be inspired, rather than intimidated, by the great African runners, is becoming increasingly more interesting to watch.

Tags: Chris Solinsky, Len Johnson, 10, 000m, US Running, Craig Mottram, Collis Birmingham
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on May 7, 2010, 3:49pm

Australian Junior Track and Field - 2009 Review Part 2

posted by rtchris on December 22, 2009, 12:38am

by Chris Wainwright.

It's now time for the junior men's review for 2009. In a year where we saw some very exciting performances, especially from the likes of Ryan Gregson and Henry Frayne, there is much anticipation surrounding the 2010 track and field year.

What can we expect from our athletes at the World Junior Championships in July? Will we see another athlete step up and perform to the levels of Gregson and Frayne? Another very interesting year is just around the corner - bring on 2010.

Tags: 2009 Australian Track and Field Review
Read more | Comments (1) | Updated on December 29, 2009, 8:05pm

Zatopek:10 - A True Classic

posted by rtsam on December 4, 2009, 8:56pm

by Chris Wainwright

The Zatopek Classic, first run in 1961, is the oldest named distance running meet in the world. Held in Melbourne each December, it is traditionally Australia’s most competitive and fastest 10,000m each year. The event, named after Emil Zatopek, the legendary distance runner who rose to prominence at the London Olympics in 1948, is also classed as the premiere distance event on the Australian calendar.

The Zatopek:10 is one of the strongest brands in Australian athletics, and in 2009 the 49th edition of the race will again showcase Australia’s best distance runners. First won by Ron Clarke in 1961 in 30:36 (Ron also won the 10000m event in 1962, in 29:53, and 1963 in 28:15), past winners include such distance greats as Rob De Castella, Steve Moneghetti, Lee Troop, Craig Mottram, Lisa Ondieki, Susie Power and Kerryn McCann. Note: The first women’s 10000m was conducted in 1976, where Adriana Callaghan won the race in a time of 43:18.

Clarke’s Records Commence at Zatopek Meeting
For Clarke, he began setting world records in 1963 at the Zatopek meeting in Melbourne where he smashed the world 6 miles and 10,000 metres record. He then went to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics as one of the favorites, but was outsprinted by American Billy Mills and finished third in the 10,000 metres. Clarke then had a great European season’s in 1965 and 1966, setting further world records and also picked up two silver medals at the 1966 Kingston Commonwealth Games over 3 and 6 miles.

Clarke’s ambitions were then shattered in Mexico’s rarified atmosphere, although he still managed a fifth in the 5000 metres and sixth in the 10,000 metres behind African athletes – who were conditioned with running at altitude. The effort in Mexico City eventually was to cost Clarke in the long term with heart problems.
Note: In his career Clarke won nine national titles. His best for 5000 metres was 13:16.60 and for 10,000 metres was 27:39.89, national records until 1998 and 1996 respectively.

Zatopek Highlights
Over the years there have been some memorable moments from Olympic Park, including:

At the age of 19, Robert de Castella set the Australian junior record for the 10000m at the 1976 Zatopek Classic. His time of 28.50.40 remains the fastest ever recorded by an Australian junior athlete over the 10000m.
Andrew Lloyd set his career best time of 27.57.34, when winning in 1987.
Steve Moneghetti remains the only person to win four Zatopek 10000m titles in a row (1989-1992).
Paul Patrick also broke the 28 minute mark in 1993, running 27.59.64, in winning the event at the age of only 22.
Shaun Creighton set a new Australian record of 27.31.92 in placing 2nd at the 1996 Zatopek Classic. Darren Wilson placed 3rd at the same meeting in a time of 27.37.00.
Assisting Creighton in running the Australian record was Kenyan Luke Kipkosgei. The Kenyans winning time in 1996 was 27.26.12, which he eventually bettered in 1998 (27.22.54) – a time that still stands as the meeting record.
Shawn Forrest defeated Clint Perrett in a quality U/20 3000m race in 2002 – 8.07.50 to 8.09.24. Placing 3rd, 4th and 5th in the same race were Jeremy Roff (8.14.53), Michael Shelley (8.15.40) and Collis Birmingham (8.24.34), with all three athletes going onto represent Australia at a senior level.
One of the best women’s race occurred in 1991, where Carolyn Schuwalow won the event in 31.54.95 to defeat Jenny Lund by just under two seconds (31.56.35). Krishna Stanton was the third Australian across the line in the same meeting, recording a time of 32.17.37.
In 1999, a year after being beaten by Natalie Harvey, Kerryn McCann won the event in a time of 31.55.94. Less than three seconds behind was Tasmanian Kylie Risk (31.58.90).
In one of the highlights of the U/20 women’s 3000m event, Melissa Rollinson defeated Georgie Clarke in 2001 - 9.03.64 to 9.09.46.
Also in 2001, Susie Power set the existing record in the women’s 10000m of 31.26.34 and then backed up the win with victory in 2002 – again breaking 32 minutes (31.58.43).
In 2003 Haley McGregor ran a career best time of 31.43.14 to win the event by over a minute and a half.
In 2005, at the age of only 15, Emily Brichacek ran a scintillating 9.21.48 to win the U/20 3000m event.

Latest Results

Year	10000m Men	10000m Women	3000m U/20 Men	3000m U/20 Women
2008	David McNeill 28.03.02	Lara Tamsett 32.56.19	James Nipperess 8.19.33	Bridey Delaney 9.21.43
2007	Collis Birmingham 28.39.91	Melinda Vernon 34.28.85	Ben Ashkettle 8.17.00	Lara Tamsett 9.29.60
2006	Galen Rupp 28.28.18 (1st Australian – Lee Troop 28.53.31)	Jessica Ruthe NZL 33.04.52 (1st Australian – Lisa-Jane Weightman 33.25.90)	Mitch Frey 8.17.97	Lexy Gilmour 9.37.64
2005	Brett Cartwright 29.07.30	Kate McIlroy NZL 33.17.78 (1st Australian – Haley McGregor 33.34.55)	Liam Adams 8.24.53	Emily Brichacek 9.21.48
2004	David Ruschena 28.59.55	Haley McGregor 32.41.10	Brendan Woodman 8.31.45	Lucy Starrat 9.44.38

Race Records – 10000m
Men: 27.22.54 Luke Kipkosgei in 1998
Women: 31.26.34 Susie Power in 2001

Top-10 Lists – 10000m
Men

27.22.54	Luke Kipkosgei	KEN	27.11.75	1	05.12.1998
27.26.11	Kipkosgei			1	25.11.1996
27.29.44	Kipkosgei			1	18.12.1997
27.30.04	Julius Kiptoo	KEN	04.09.77	2	18.12.1997
27.31.92	Shaun Creighton	AUS	14.05.67	2	25.11.1996
27.37.00	Darren Wilson	AUS	09.08.68	3	25.11.1996
27.38.52	Joseph Kimani	KEN	21.09.72	1	14.12.1995
27.40.34	Benjamin Maiyo	KEN	06.10.78	2	05.12.1998
27.41.49	Kimani			4	25.11.1996
27.46.84	Creighton			2	14.12.1995
27.48.94	Steve Moneghetti	AUS	26.09.62	3	14.12.1995
27.50.55	Craig Mottram	AUS	18.06.80	1	04.12.2003
27.51.40	Gerard Barrett	AUS	31.12.56	1	14.12.1978
27.54.30	Steve Austin	AUS	14.02.51	1	18.12.1980

Women

31.26.34	Susie Power	AUS	26.03.75	1	06.12.2001
31.43.14	Haley McGregor	AUS	27.05.79	1	04.12.2003
31.47.11	Lisa Ondieki	AUS	12.05.60	1	15.12.1994
31.54.95	Carolyn Schuwalow	AUS	10.08.65	1	10.12.1991
31.55.94	Kerryn McCann	AUS	02.05.67	1	06.12.1999
31.56.35	Jenny Lund	AUS	11.07.61	2	10.12.1991
31.58.43	Power			1	14.12.2002
31.58.90	Kylie Risk	AUS	28.11.73	2	06.12.1999
32.01.68	Nyla Carroll	NZL	24.11.65	1	14.12.1995
32.05.47	Susan Hobson	AUS	13.03.58	3	10.12.1991
32.17.37	Krishna Stanton	AUS	10.05.66	4	10.12.1991

2009 Highlights

On Thursday 10th December, the 49th edition of the Zatopek Classic will again feature some of Australia’s finest distance athletes. Current 10000m Australian record holder Collis Birmingham (27.29.73) will be joined by athletes such as Benita Willis (PB of 30.37.68 for 10000m), Mark Tucker (PB of 28.44.52 for 10000m), David McNeill (2008 Zatopek winner in 28.03.02), Martin Dent (PB of 28.38.67 for 10000m) and Lisa-Jane Weightman (PB of 33.25.90 for 10000m). The meeting will also include such athletes as Berlin world championship representatives – Tamsyn Lewis, Ryan Gregson, Jeremy Roff and Scott Martin.

So what will the highlight be after the running of the 2009 Zatopek Classic? Will Birmingham back up after the Great Australian Run over 15km and break 28 minutes? Can Willis break 32 minutes in the women’s race? Maybe the 10000m races, which will double as the National Championships and selection trial for the Commonwealth Games, will be upstaged by another performance(s) on the track or in the field?
Either way the Zatopek:10 will again be filled with exciting duels and memorable moments.

On a personal note it signals the official commencement of the domestic season, and with this I hope to see you all at Olympic Park on Thursday night for an action packed night of track and field.

Note: For further information regarding the Zatopek:10 please visit the Athletics Victoria website at www.athsvic.org.au

Tags: Zatopek Classic, Emil Zatopek, Zatopek 10000, Collis Birmingham, Benita Willis
Read more | Comments (2) | Updated on December 7, 2009, 1:59pm

Men's 50km Walk - Sergey Wins, Aussies 6th and 7th

posted by rtross on October 6, 2009, 2:28am

Brought to you by Edward Ovadia who is in Berlin with official IAAF accreditation covering the championships for Runnerstribe.com

Sergey Kirdyapkin The mens 50km walk was the feature event on the morning of the seventh day, and was one of Australia's big medal events. We were well represented by Luke Adams and Jared Tallent. Tallent has a silver medal from the Olympics in this event, while Adams finished tenth. Both have the class to walk very well, and to finish amongst the medals.

Again the event would start and finish under the historic Brandenburg Gate, one of the only remaining gates into old Berlin. Tallent, after a sixth place in the 20km walk, was ready to claim a medal; and Adams was hoping to go better than his 18th place.

But they would not have it all their own way - the world record holder Denis Nizhegorodov of Russia would be the one to look out for, although we hadn't seen much of him in 2009, he was third in Beijing, and new how to perform when it counted.

Right off the gun, Adams went with the leader, while Tallent dropping back 11 seconds behind. But soon Tallent moved back up, and both Aussies were sitting in the lead pack., along with Nizhegorodov.

At the 15km mark, the lead pack was down to six, including both Aussies and Nizhegorodov. At halfway the lead pack was down to five, as Japan's Yamazaki was disqualified for a third warning. Two kilometres later and the pack is now down to four - two Aussies and two Russians (Nizhegorodov and compatriot Kirdyapkin.

And then suddenly the race was really on, and it was down to three. At the 30km mark, Tallent dropped the hammer with a 4:11 last kilometre, and slowly he put a gap of about four seconds on Nizhegorodov and Adams. Tallent held that gap for most of the next lap, until they regrouped, with Tallent still looking in control.

As the lap continued, the two Aussies started to walk side by side, with Nizhegorodov a few seconds back. And then, Nizhegorodov stopped to go to the toilet! He pulled up to a portaloo on the side of the road, and ducked in for 30 seconds. When he came out, the Aussies had built a good lead, and were walking side by side, with Nizhegorodov a long way behind.

luke adams And just like that, it was two Aussies first and second in the World Championships, with little over 15km to go, and with daylight third!

Slowly Tallent started to pull away from Adams, one second at a time, with Tallent looking very relaced and in control. Adams still holding his own very well, and holding off Nizhegorodov who was still a good 100m behind. Adams copped a yellow flag, which means 'keep an eye on your technique', but Adams is all class, and still no warnings for either of the Aussie pair.

The Germans have got a great system of counting down over the loudspeaker as the German athletes approach, so when they reach 'ten', the crowd favourite will be just coming through the Brandenburg Gate and passing in front of the crowd - and everyone erupts. But while the lead German (Andrew Hohne) is sitting in tenth, the Aussies are still out in front on their own, with Nizhegorodov still 25 seconds behind, and working with fellow Russian Kirdyapkin in a battle for third place and to try and catch the Australians.

Kirdyapkin has pedigree of his own, being the 2005 World Champion over the 50km distance. And the Russian is gradually pulling away from a tiring Nizhegorodov, who seems unable to respond. Tallent is also pulling away from Adams, who now has four seconds over the fellow Australian, with Kirdyapkin coming up fast. Adams has to watch out that he isn't caught, because Kirdyapkin is really moving.

But Tallent looks golden up front, and is ever stretching his lead further and further. Adams just picks up a warning for having a bent knee, but he still has two in the bank. His real problem is Kirdyapkin who has just caught the Australian - hopefully Adams can hitch on with Kirdyapkin and keep up. Tallent is still 12 seconds ahead of Adams and Kirdyapkin, who has just received a warning for loss of contact.

Coming into the 40km mark, Tallent had been caught by Kirdyapkin, who was going great guns, and started to immediately pull away from the Australian. Adams was still in third, but had to look out for Trond Nymark of Norway, who was also coming up fast behind the Aussie. Nymark was eight in Osaka and fourth in Helsinki, so he knows what he's doing. Meanwhile, Nizhegorodov pulled out, never looking 100% right after his toilet break.

Nymark went past Adams soon after the 40km mark, and was looking to catch Tallent, who had been left behind by Kirdyapkin. Nymark moved up on the shoulder of Tallent right on the three hour mark, and went past into second place. The Aussies had both been victims of late charges by the Norwegian and the Russian, and were now sitting in third and fouth. But there was still nearly 10km to go, had they gone too early? Could the Aussies regroup?

luke adams Tallent isn't easily beaten, and is still walking very well, as is Adams behind him. They both have Nymark in sight, and if he slips up, they're right there to pounce. Kirdyapkin now had 25 seconds up on Nymark in second, and looked to be every increasing.

With 6km to go, the order stayed the same, but Nymark looked to be struggling a little. He wasn't going as fast as when he made those great moves, and he was grimacing and struggling to hold down fluid without it coming back up. But he still seems to be increasing the gap over the Aussies. At 4km to go, Jesus Angel Garcia of Spain has caught Luke Adams, who moves into fifth, and Garcia is moving very well. Garcia, 40 years old, is a former World Champion from 1993, and was fourth in Beijing last year.

Going into the last lap, Kirdyapkin looked unbeatable in first, with a lead of 1:47 over Nymark, who was leading from Garcia of Spain, who had overtaken Tallent in third place.

And that's how it stayed, with Kirdyapkin collapsing over the line to take the win in 3:38:35, a new world leading time. Nymark managed to hold on for second, and was all smiles in the finish, with Garcia very close behind him in third. The Aussie boys Adams and Tallent struggled in the last lap, after giving their all earlier in the race, and finished a very gutsy sixth and seventh respectively.

Craig Hillard [Coach of Luke Adams]: "They're struggling at the moment, but both of them went out there to try and win the race. You're not going to do anything differently, it's time for Luke to make a stance and certainly Jared coming in as the silver medallist from Beijing, so tactically what Brent had discussed with Jared and what we'd talked about with Luke, that's how they were going to race. It was pretty tough out there. [Being in the lead mid race, could they have both got a medal?] Well you always hope, but it's 50km, and I've been around enough 50km races and so has Brent to know that the race doesn't start until 30km. So really what was going to occur from 30km to 40km was going to determine how the race was going to pan out. If they had got through to 42km or 44km feeling good, I think it would have been a totally different result. But they got to 40km and things were starting to struggle a little bit. But the attrition rate was high - it was hard."

Brent Vallance [Coach of Jared Tallent]: "[Same strategy of racing for the gold?] Yeah that's obviosuly what you want when you're a double Olympic medallist, they're not going to go out wondering whether they had it in them today. That was pretty much the plan, and he stuck to it pretty well, he was always looking back to see where some of the favourites were as they dropped off, so he was probably gaining in confidence after 30km, but tactically that was exactly how you race if you're going to win. Unfortunately the boys just didn't have it after 40km."

Share on Facebook

'Hills are speedword in disguise '
Frank Shorter

Tags: race walking
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on October 6, 2009, 2:29am

Day 7 (21th) Evening Wrap

posted by rtross on October 6, 2009, 2:24am

The main event on Day Seven was the rain. Buckets of it coming down at the start of competition, so much so that everything was postponed for an hour. When we finally got underway, it was with the mens 4x100m relay. The Aussies were represented in the third heat, in what was a great move by Athletics Australia. As we all know, anything can happen, and doubly so in the relays. Especially when it's raining.

Anthony Alozie, Josh Ross, Aaron Rouge-Serret, and Matt Davies took to the track in lane four, alongside the Jamaican powerhouse, minus Bolt for the heats. The boys ran well, with smooth changes, and powered to a season best 38.93 seconds - but it was not enough to make the final, with the Aussies needing 38.60 to secure a berth.

Ross: "Great start, good exchanges, it was clean. We were leading for half the race. We've run a seasons best, so we can walk away holding our heads high, and look forward to the Commonwealth Games. There's a lot more potential, but just keep working on it, that's all you can do, just be patient."

Then came the womens 1500m semi finals, with all the favourites making it through - Jamal won the first heat, with Dobriskey and Wurth-Thomas also making it though; and Burka won the second with Willard and Rowbury also qualifying. The only surprise was Olympic Champion Nancy Langat missing out on a spot in the finals, but she has not found the same form as last year.

1500m Dobriskey: "Just to be there is a great achievement. In the past, making the final was a bonus. Now, it is expected and it is also important for funding. Yes, I'd like to think I'm in the kind of shape to be chasing for a medal."

Wurth-Thomas: "I had more difficult races this season and I did not expect to take the lead. But I did not want to get caught up. The other competitors raised a bar for the others, so it is pushing us to do better. I am ready for this event."

In the mens 800m semi finals, the first heat took a tumble as three of the eight runners went down in the first lap, including Kaki. Kaki didn't finish, and barring an appeal won't be appearing in the final. The semi was won by Nick Symmonds. Next up was Kamel, Kiprop, Borza, and Yego, with Kamel winning from Borzakovskiy, Yego, Mulaudzi, with Kiprop training home a beaten man. It looks like the 1500m did wonders for Kamel, but drained Kiprop. In the third heat, Laalou and Lopez sped away from Reed and Rudisha to take the last two spots in the final.

Yego: "I am not satisfied with the race, I cannot run good if there is weather like this. I am really sorry for Kaki. I am ready to defend my crown even if it is going to be very fast race, I am ready for it. Tomorrow I will take a rest and I will try."

symmonds Kiprop: "I have no comment about what happened. I do not know what happened at 600m - maybe I was already tired. I am going to close the season and I will see what is going to happen after. I plan to focus on both the 800m and 1500m next year."

Then came the first final of the night, the womens 200m. It was really a race for second, with Allyson Felix taking out the gold in 22.02, 0.32 seconds clear of Veronica Campbell-Brown in second, and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie in third. Felix looked the model of controlled power, and effortlessly floated away from the rest of the field

Felix: "It is very special for me to win here in Berlin. I have worked really hard. Compare my two titles? They are all different. But this one happened in a stadium with a lot of history. So this if definitely something special for me."

The women were closely followed by the mens 400m event, where everyone was excited to see the next chapter in the Jeremy Wariner vs. LaShawn Merritt rivalry. The times weren't great in less than ideal conditions, but both Americans entered the final straight neck and neck, neither one giving anything. But slowly, Merritt forced his way ahead of Wariner, and managed to stride across the line in first place, clocking 44.06 to Wariner's 44.60.

Merritt: "You know what - it was all about putting it from my head to the track. I had already won the race in my heart. Everybody trains hard. I am playing the A game. This medal is for Jesse Owens, my family, my nephews and my fans. Wariner is a great champion. But I really wanted it."

The womens discus throw was a major medal hope for Australia, with Olympian and World Uni Games Champion Dani Samuels easily making the final, and in brilliant form. But she would have to come up against the reigining Olympic Champion Stephanie Brown-Trafton, as well as some strong Chinese throwers. Samuels' first effort caught the net on the way out of the cage. But her second got her on the board, with 59.05m. But she still had some work to do to make the top eight and get three more throws - work which she did admirably, with a third throw of 62.71 to launch herself into third place and into contention for the medals.

dani samuels And then came a big one. One that had been building up, after months of training, the PB she knew she had inside her. 64.76m came bursting out, and shot Samuels into second place. Everyone rejoiced, and she knew she had given herself a real chance at the medals.

But Samuels wasn't finished yet. On her fifth throw, she let rip with 65.44, again smashing her PB which was all of ten minutes old, and putting her this time in first place! And that's how it finishes, with Samuels taking home our first medal, and a gold one at that, for the World Championships. She's all smiles, and deserves it all. Go Dani!

(Lots of quotes and info on Dani to come tomorrow)

Tags:
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on October 6, 2009, 2:25am

Collis Birmingham - Limitless Potential

posted by rtross on October 5, 2009, 4:56am

Collis Birmingham has paid his dues. He's done the hard slog on the domestic scene; he's been knocked out in the heats of the Olympics; and most importantly he's followed the rule that to be the best in the world, you have to start by being the best in Australia. And now that Birmingham stands alone as our best long distance runner, he's ready to take on the world.

Those who hadn't heard about the 24 year old Victorian were quickly brought up to speed on the 24th of April this year, when he stepped out onto the Berkeley track in the US, and over 25 laps proceeded to etch himself into the Australian record books by claiming one of our most difficult records, the Australian 10,000m record. Birmingham's time of 27:29.73 broke the previous record set by Shaun Creighton in 1996 by over two seconds. It was a long time coming. "I felt he was ready to run a time like that for 10,000m in February," says Brimingham's coach and manager Nic Bideau, "And to me it was just a matter of him holding that form and getting him to Berkeley in the right sort of race and he'd do it."

The Australian record run came on the back of Birmingham's national title over 5,000m in a then-personal best time of 13:16.26, set in rainy conditions at the Melbourne World Athletics Tour meet. His times over 5,000m and 10,000m set him apart as another standard above the rest of the rapidly improving Australian athletes. He was the man who had a few more years of training and competing at an international level in his legs, and the experience that comes with it - and he was putting it to good use.

Birmingham's dominance did not happen overnight. For years he had risen through the ranks of Australian distance running, following the road running circuit, the big track meets, and winning his fair share.

collis birmingham But 2008 was Birmingham's big breakthrough year. Everyone was hoping he might get the Olympic A-qualifying standard of 13:21.50 in the 5,000m in Melbourne. But it was not to be, with Birmingham still running a strong time of 13:27.31. He then made the decision to head overseas to the US in April, to train and race on the US circuit.

It turned out to be a brilliant move on Birmingham's part. In a solo effort at Mt. Sac, he powered to a brilliant last lap to just scrape under the qualifying mark with 13:21.12. It was the next step Birmingham needed to take, to qualify for a representative track team. It would give him the experience he needed to make his spot on the Australian team a permanent fixture. Birmingham then smashed his 10,000m personal best running 28:08.23 a few weeks later, a run which gave him even more confidence in the lead up to the Olympics. And although Beijing didn't go as planned, with Birmingham missing out on the final after not having the speed for a kickdown in a slow heat, he'd had a taste of a major championship, it wouldn't be long until he was back on the tartan. "I thought he ran quite well in Beijing for his first Olympics," says Bideau, "But I think we could have done a better job with providing the right sort of environment around him which would have resulted in him running better there and possibly being in the final." Bideau has made the important changes for 2009. "I feel this year he has a much happier group around him so he's much happier and more relaxed which has been a big factor in his improved form."

collis birmingham Birmingham moved up another gear this year, and has progressed from being on the verge of qualifying for major meets, to looking to make the final and compete well. Many put the turning point at the Great Australian Run in November 2008, over a 15km road course through the streets of Melbourne. There Birmingham was third behind Haile Gebrselassie, and was the first Australian home, and crucially ahead of Craig Mottram, in what turned out to be Mottram's last race to date. With Mottram off the scene the door was open for Birmingham to step through and become the top long distance runner in Australia - a title Bideau thinks Birmingham has earned. "I haven't seen any other Australian distance runner going round this year who is better than him," he says.

Indeed Birmingham's coach has nothing but praise for how the tall Victorian has developed. "I've really enjoyed working with Collis" says Bideau. "He's really come on in the last eighteen months with his fitness and his maturity. It's always very rewarding watching someone improve, but it's even better when you can see them turning into how you see them having the potential to become when you first meet them."

Birmingham first showed his new international prowess at this year's IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Jordon. In the senior men's race over 12km, Birmingham came 29th, and was the second non-African runner across the line. Birmingham was becoming more of a force on the international scene, something he showed again in the Oslo Golden League 5,000m, where he battled well in a high quality field to score a new personal best of 13:14.53. But the pace was all wrong for the Victorian, and he did well to run a fast time at all. Birmingham's personal best belies his true ability, with most people tipping him to go well under 13:10 in well-paced race in better conditions.

Birmingham then toed the line for a final tune up in London over a mile, where he ran 3:54.30, another personal best, and out-sprinted Australian 3:34 1500m runner Jeremy Roff to come fourth. Birmingham's speed is now his advantage, and he is much faster than his 3:37 personal best over 1500m would indicate - which he will be using to his advantage come the IAAF World Championships in Berlin.

All eyes are now on Berlin, where Birmingham will line up in either the 5,000m or 10,000m. He hopes to not only make the final (if he runs the 5,000m where there are heats), but run competitively in that final and make an impact on the race, rather than simply making up the numbers.

collis birmingham Bideau sees Birmingham's future potential as limitless: "I don't like to put limits on people - but I do feel he still has considerable improvement in him. I believe he can still run quite a bit faster at 1,500m and he's untapped at the longer events - half marathon and marathon." It seems the marathon might be where Birmingham will have even more success. "I think he is the most likely Australian athlete I've seen to be our next top marathon runner," says Bideau, "but you never really know about that event until they try one."

But no matter how Birmingham runs in the Berlin World Championships, he has already cemented his place as the man to catch for all Australian 5,000m and 10,000m runners. He is in the enviable position of easily qualifying for national teams; and is only getting stronger every year. If he does not shake up the international distance running world this year, then it is simply a matter of time.