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Henry Frayne (Qld) finished ninth in the triple jump, in his first major championship final on the closing night of the IAAF world championships in Daegu (KOR), while Jamaica set the only world record of the event in the 4x100m men's relay.

 

Having qualified for the triple jump final on his Flame debut, Frayne, opened with16.45m (-0.1) before maintaining a mid-level position thanks to a second-round effort of 16.78m (-0.1). Unfortunately he was unable to improve on his third attempt (16.60m, +0.1) to finish ninth overall, negating his opportunity for a further three jumps.

 

The 21-year-old said: “Tonight I just didn’t have it, those guys were a class above. Coming in I had the smallest personal best and so to make it though the top eight I would have had to get a PB or thereabouts and I just didn’t have it tonight.

 

“It’s been a great experience and it’s great to jump with all the top jumpers in the world. I will go away and get another year of training under me and I’ll be back.

 

“This season has been a bit of a break through, I finally made it over the 17 metre mark so I’ll just go back now, build up a bit more strength and a bit more speed and whole lot of work on my technique. I’m confident in myself, I don’t feel out of place out there and next year I think I’ll be much more competitive.”

 

“Congratulations to my training partner Mitch (Watt) who won a silver medal. We have a great set up with coach Gary Bourne and a really competitive training squad with Kane Briggand Chris Noffke and we just push each other there, which will hopefully see us all step up even further next year. Having that sort of competition on adaily basis is only going to benefit all of us.”

 

American Christian Taylor won the event with a world lead of 17.96m (+0.1), as defending champion Phillips Idowu (GBR) claimed silver with a season best of 17.77m (0.0) and Will Claye(USA) bronze after a personal best leap of 17.50m (+0.1).

 

On the track the women’s 4x100m team missed out on a place in the final by less than three tenths of a second. Hayley Butler (NSW) started from the blocks and exchanged to Melissa Breen (ACT) on the second leg, before a less than clinical changeover with Charlotte Van Veenendaal (Qld).

 

New 100m hurdles world champion Sally Pearson (Qld) anchored the team home and did a fine job as she received the baton three metres down on Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s number one sprinter Jeanette Kwakye, but crossed the line well ahead.

 

Their time of 43.79 is equal third-fastest run by an Australian quartet at a world championships, however, it saw them finish 11th overall and out of the final, while the USA set an early standard as they were the only quartet to go sub 42 seconds.

 

Pearson said: “It was a bit disappointing that we stumbled on the second change but they’ve been awesome to train with and over the three weeks we’ve trained together I think they’ve done amazing and all come together really strong.

 

“Down to my leg I felt that I ran really strong. I was so pleased that I passed the Great Britain girl. We all went out there saying ‘let’s beat the Britons’ and we did!

 

“Last night was amazing, it was the most special night I’ve ever had and coming out tonight was even more incredible. I don’t get to experience this very often.”

 

Breen added: “ We haven’t competed at a worlds or Olympics since 2007 and we’ve got a great group of girls.

 

“We’ve spent three weeks together, which has been great and we’ve got a great bunch of girls. There’s a fast time in there for sure. Based on that performance I think we’ll be able to break the Australian record.”

 

The women’s 4x100m was won by an American quartet of Bianca Knight, Allyson Felix, Marshevet Myers and Carmelita Jeter in a world-lead of 41.56. Jamaica finished in second and Ukraine third.

 

The men’s 4x100m also missed out on qualifying for the final by a small margin, as they finished their heat in fourth place and 38.69. Anthony Alozie (Vic) exchanged with Matt Davies (Qld) before Aaron Rouge-Serret (Vic) handed over to Isaac Ntiamoah (NSW) for the home straight.

 

The final was won by Jamaica in world record time of 37.04. Easily prevailing in a race that saw America drop the baton, Jamaica’s team consisted of 200m world champion Usain Bolt, 100m world champion Johan Blake, Nesta Carter and Michael Blake.

 

Earlier in the morning Flame Jeff Hunt (NSW) was forced to withdraw from the marathon at the 30km mark with cramp.

 

The 29-year-old had been hoping to finish top 14 and claim an automatic spot for next year’s Olympic Games. However, cramp in his right calf forced him to withdraw from the race.

 

Kenya’s Abel Kirui successfully defended his title in 2:07:38, leading from the 25km mark. His compatriot Vincent Kipruto finished in second and Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lilesa finished third.

 

Hunt ran through the first five kilometre mark at 16:14 and he maintained a consistent pace from thereon in with his split times reading 32:28 (10km), 48:41 (15km), 1:05:08 (20km), 1:21:56 (25km) and 1:39:25 (30km). And he moved steadily from 59th at the 10 kilometre point to 45th by the time he was forced to withdraw.

 

He said: “I’m pretty disappointed. I came here with the goal of a top 14 and automatic spot at the Olympics. I felt good half way and tried to roll on and get back from there.

 

“I started slowing down from about 25 (km) and then as I reached 30 (km) the cramp just started coming on in my right calf and my achilles. Then about 500m before 30 (km) it really started grabbing me and I slowed right down and there was no point continuing.

 

“It’s never happened like that before to me. It’s only my second ever DNF (did not finish) so I have a pretty good record of not-not finishing.

 

For audio clips with Sally Pearson on both the 4x100m relay and being world champion please click here.

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Long jump world leader Mitchell Watt (Qld) secured his place in tomorrow night’s final, as didKimberley Mickle (WA) in the javelin, on day six of the IAAF world championships.

 

A number of notable names fell victim to tough wind conditions on the long jump runways, including reigning Olympic champion Irving Saladino (PAN) and world and Olympic silver medallist Godfrey Mokoena (RSA).

 

No such problem for the defending world champion, Dwight Phillips (USA), who improved his season’s best by 25 centimetres to lead qualifying with 8.32m (-0.2m/s).

 

For Watt, having warmed-up in favourable tail winds, his first attempt came into a head-wind of -1.3m/s and he recorded a mark of 6.43m.

 

However, the world bronze medallist and Australian record holder cleared his second jump to perfection, taking off 13.6cm behind the board but landing exactly on the qualifying mark of 8.15m (+0.2m/s).

 

Watt said: “That first jump really threw me off, it’s not as though I just fouled I was way out and I almost hit it [the board] with my other foot.

 

“It was a tailwind for the guys before me and I ended up -1.6 I think, which messed with my run-up. The wind was dead on the second round so it was fine.

 

“I will probably be more nervous today than I will tomorrow because qualifying is always tricky. So it’s all a bit weird out there today, there were some big names who didn’t get through. But I hit my second one so it’s fine.”

 

Also falling foul to the conditions were Commonwealth Champion Fabrice Lapierre (NSW), and teammate Robbie Crowther (ACT) whose best efforts of 7.89m and 7.74m, respectively, were not enough for the top 12.

 

In the field, Mickle made it three out of three finals for the Flame throwers, by qualifying in the javelin.

 

Mickle entered the competition in the knowledge that six girls from Group A had sealed the automatic qualifying mark of 61.00m. Sporting a straw hat with a smileyface drawn on, it wasn’t long before the Commonwealth Champion was wearing her own smile after she laid down an impressive marker with a first throw of 60.50m.

 

It was a heave Mickle was unable to better, but was enough to rank her eighth overall and more importantly take her into tomorrow evening’s final.

 

She said:  “I went shopping yesterday and just knew what it was going to be like outside. When I saw that I was in the second pot I knew the shade would disappear. So I just thought ‘look, I’m going to look stupid but I think getting the sun off me is probably a good idea for tomorrow.

 

“Everything’s there in the making which is great. 60.50m on my first throw I thought was probably going to be enough so after that I was just coasting through and wasn’t trying to give it all.

 

“I was just being out there to be out there, in case I needed to pop something out so the last two were more training throws than comps throws.”

 

Meanwhile in the 5000m Craig Mottram (Vic), who won bronze in the event in 2005, and Collis Birmingham (Vic) were first up in the heats, on a sunbaked morning in the stadium.

 

Former double world champion Bernard Lagat (USA) sprinted home to win heat one, while Birmingham and Mottram came in 10^th and 13^th respectively, in 13:47.88 and 13:56.60.

 

Mottram said: ““It was warm, but it’s the same for everybody, other people dealt with it better than I did.

 

“I’ve got the qualifying time (for London Olympics), which was the plan for me this year, that was a bonus to have done that in the Birmingham Diamond League meet.

 

“This competition in some ways was always just a bonus to come and run. I would liked to have made the final but it was always going to be an uphill battle.”

 

Birmingham added: “I know I’m going better than that run suggested. The last two kilometres really hurt me. I just wasn’t as good as those guys.

 

“It wasn’t the greatest day. Everybody had the same issue with the heat today, but I just didn’t handle it as well as they did.”

 

In the second heat Ben St Lawrence (NSW) an injection of speed from the Kenyans in the last few laps saw the previously tight group, which St Lawrence had kept himself in, fragment.

 

When the bell sounded 10,000m silver medallist Mo Farah (GBR) ripped the lead pack apart but was passed by Imane Merga (ETH), who gave him a cheeky smile as he went by, given their roles had been reversed in the 10,000m final. St Lawrence finished 11^th in a time of 13:51.64.

 

Finally, the 4x400m team will be unable to defend their bronze medal from the 2009 world championships after failing to qualify for the final.

 

A quartet of Ben Offereins (WA), Tristan Thomas (Tas), Steve Solomon (NSW) and Sean Wroe(Vic) finished fifth in a season’s best of 3:01.56. The fourth and fifth placed teams in the previous heat had both clocked faster times, which saw Australia lose out on a possible place in the final.

 

13^th IAAF world championships

Day 6

Thursday, September 1:

 

19:00/20:20 (20:00/21/20 AEST)

M Javelin (Qual): Jarrod Bannister (Vic)

 

IAAF world championships
Daegu (KOR)
August 27 – September 4, 2011

 

The 2011 IAAF World Championships are LIVE on SBS TWO with daily highlights from 27 August – 5 September.

 

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National record holder Ryan Gregson (NSW) has this morning ran home strongly to hold his position and advance to the men’s 1500m semi-finals at the IAAF world championships in Daegu (KOR).

 

Clocking 3:40.01 to finish 8th in his heat, Gregson’s time was the second fastest by athletes outside the auto-advance places and the fourth fastest ever by an Australian at the championships. It is a sign of continuing improvement for the Flame star after a slow comeback from an injury that forced him out of last year’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi (IND).

 

“It has been a really tough twelve months so a result like this here is a bonus, to get through to the next round is a sign of a gradual return to where I was last year," Gregson said.

 

“I just pushed and pushed up that home straight, I knew that I might sit outside the top six so I had to get the time required. 

 

"Honestly, I was hoping that it would be a little slower so that I could use my finishing pace to go through automatically but that didn’t happen so I just did as much as I could.”

 

Unfortunately, Gregson’s training partner and fellow men’s 1500m starter Jeff Riseley (Vic) did not progress. The Australian 1500m champion, Riseley today crossed the line in 3:42.22 to finish one spot outside the advance places in 7th.

 

“I don’t know what to say, I am just so disappointed,” Riseley said.

 

"I have had a great year in training, and thought I had it all setup ready to go here but out there today it didn't happen."

 

Competition continues at Daegu Stadium tonight, with three Flame athletes set to don the green and gold.

 

Taking to the thrower’s cage is Australian discus throw record holder Benn Harradine (Vic) in the men’s discus throw final as he looks to recapture season best (66.07m) form, while Lauren Boden (ACT) and Kaila McKnight (Vic) will push to advance through to finals in the women’s 400m hurdles and 1500m respectively.

 

In international action, Kenyan world record holder David Rudisha will lead out in the men’s 800m final, 2008 Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) will soar in the women’s pole vault final and American LaShawn Merritt will start in the men’s 400m final.

 

 

13th IAAFworld championships

Day 4

Tuesday, August 30

 

19:00 (20:00 AEST):

W 400m Hurdles (SF): Lauren Boden (ACT)

 

19:55 (20:55 AEST):

M Discus Throw (F): Benn Harradine (Vic)

 

20:35 (21:35 AEST):

W 1500m (SF): Kaila McKnight (Vic) 

 

ENDS

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Benn Harradine (Vic) led the Flame performances on day four of the IAAF world championships, with his fifth place finish in the men’s discus final the best ever result by an Australian in the event at either a world championships or Olympic Games.

 

The Commonwealth champion and national record holder was the opening thrower in the final, and his first heave was an impressive 64.43m, which after round one had him lying in third.

 

While Harradine’s second throw looked to have surpassed his previous effort it fell short at 64.02m and his third landed at 62.08m.

 

However his first heave was enough to secure him a top eight spot and a further three throws. The same was not the case for world and Olympic silver medallist Piotr Malachowski (POL) who was thehighest profile scalp from the first three attempts.

 

Harradine then went on to improve his best effort to 64.77m on his sixth and final throw, to cement his fifth-place finish. Robert Harting (GER) successfully defended his world title with a winning throw of 68.97m, while Gerd Kanter (EST) finished second and Ehsan Hadadi(IRI) third.

 

Harradine said: “I’m really happy, it wasn’t a bad performance at all but I just felt like there was a medal there for me and I let it go.

 

“I’m super happy with the consistency of the evening. My goal was to get out there and consolidate it in the first round, then try and rip it from there.

 

“It’s a stepping stone for sure, my goal after the Commonwealth games was to finish in the final at world champs and then hopefully a podium finish for London [Olympics]. I’m ticking those boxes.

 

Lauren Boden (ACT) found herself in the fastest semi-final of the evening, in the 400m hurdles, but was unable to improve upon her season’s best time of 55.78 set in the previous round.

 

With Lashinda Demus (USA) now lookinglike a medal favourite after a convincing 53.82 run, Boden came through in a top 20 place in 56.68.

 

The six-time national champion said: “Looking at the time I’m not exactly rapt. It’s weird, it didn’t feel like a slow race, I ran all my strides and I felt really good.”

 

Former world champion Jana Pittman still holds the fastest time ever hurdled by an Australian at the world championships with 53.22, which she set on her way to gold in 2003. She is absent from Daegu (KOR) due to injury, but Boden hopes that a speedy recovery and injury-free season in 2012 will reap the rewards for both athletes.

 

Boden said: “Jana is an amazing athlete and she has shown that every time she’s stepped onto the track. For me I’ve been able to learn a lot off her and she’s always taken me under her wing and gives me advice when she can.

 

“I honestly really hope that she gets back for next season because I think that we really need each other to push each other all the way to London 2012.”

 

Boden has two days to recover before returning to the track as part of the women’s 4x400m relay team, alongside Anneliese Rubie (NSW), Caitlin Pincott(NSW), Caitlin Sargent (Qld).

 

She added: “Our team is looking really good. The girls are all running really well and once I’ve processed my hurdles race from tonight I will be able to start thinking more towards the relay.”

 

In the 1500m, Kaila McKnight (Vic) maintained a mid-pack position in what was a slow 

opening two laps.  The group stayed tight as they went through the bell before Hellen Onsando Obiri (KEN) and defending champion Maryam Yusuf Jamal (BRN) made a move.

 

Tugba Karakaya (TUR) was the first of the five automatic qualifiers for Thursday night’s final in 4:08.58 while McKnight crossed the line in tenth place and a time of 4:10.83.

 

McKnight said: “I’m happy with my effort, I gave it my best out there today, it was real rough but this is definitely a good experience and hopefully will help me next year.

 

“I tried to get in a really good position but got shoved back a little bit andthen was out wide. I gave it my best and that’s all I can really ask for.

 

“I made the semi finals here and I’ve got ten months of hard work ahead of me but I’m willing to put it in and hopefully step up again and maybe even make the final.”

 

In other highlights:

-        Britain’s Jessica Ennis relinquished her world championship crown in the heptathlon toTatyana Chernova (RUS).

-        David Rudisha (KEN) claimed his first 800m world championship gold medal in a time of 1:43.91, and remains unbeaten since the semi-final at the 2009 Berlin-hosted world championships.

-        At 18 years of age, Kirani James (GRN) became the youngest 400m world champion when he crossed the line in a personal best of 44.60, with defending champion LaShawn Merritt (USA) (44.63) finishing second.

-        Fabiana Murer (BRA) won the women’s pole vault with 4.85m leap, upstaging Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) who stumbled at 4.65m to finish sixth.

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By Len Johnson

Was there a Bolt reaction out there, I wondered. Apart, that is, from the disqualification of the world and Olympic champion and world record holder in Sunday night’s 100 final generating about a billion words of analysis and thousands of scholarly discussions on the false start rule from people who had never previously heard of it.

When Kerron Stewart of Jamaica had a reaction time of 0.270 seconds in the first semi-final of the women’s 100 on Monday night, it looked as if there certainly was a reaction. Stewart sat in the blocks, her response to the starter’s gun not so much a reaction as a belated realisation, recalling that politically incorrect Monty Python skit on the Olympics for the deaf (now hearing impaired) when the frustrated starter, having discharged his gun several times, finally runs around to the front of the runners and holds up a sign reading, ‘Bang!’

The case seemed stronger given Stewart’s reaction time in the previous morning’s heats had been 0.160.

But a random, thoroughly unscientific, and definitely not peer reviewed study of a few other athletes threw the theory into doubt.

Some had slow reaction times on the day after bolt, but a check of the previous day’s rounds showed slow reaction times then, as well.

Case not proven, you’d have to say. But I am certain every sprinter went to the blocks on Monday with the advice of Sergeant Phil Esterhaus on Hill St Blues running over and over in their heads: “Hey, let’s be careful out there.”

One man who was not careful out there was Dayron Robles of Cuba. He paid the ultimate price, too, losing a gold medal to become the latest in a litany of high-profile disasters at these championships.

Robles, the world record holder and Olympic champion, strayed towards the lane of Liu Xiang and the pair clashed over the final two barriers. The second clash caused Liu to miss his step coming into the last hurdle, and he stumbled off it after hitting it with the knee of his trailing leg.

Stumbles at that speed normally come at a cost. Robles, who also lost some rhythm in the clashes, lunged desperately at the line to hold off Jason Richardson of the USA, 13.14 to 13.16. He appeared to have added the world championships gold medal to his Olympic and world record accolades, but an appeal by China to the track judge was upheld and he was disqualified.

There was another Cuban sensation, but this time it was in an unexpected area – the pole vault where Lazaro Borges came in with a personal best of 5.72 and proceeded to clear 5.90 for a silver medal. The unheralded Borges relegated gold medal favourite Renaud Lavillenie of France to third place, but was beaten by another ‘unknown’ in Pawel Wojciechowski of Poland.

The vault sensations started in qualifying when defending champion Steve Hooker failed to clear his opening height of 5.50 – a height which, ironically, would have got him to the final.

Then, into the final, Berlin silver medallist Romain Mesnil no-heighted at 5.65. At least Lavillenie hung on to his Berlin bronze, though he would hardly be happy about that.

Wojciechowski, 22 in June, started the year with a personal best of 5.60. Yet here he was taking 5.90 at the second attempt for the gold.

Moreover, there were three Polish vaulters in the final – Lukasz Michalski finishing fourth with 5.85 and Mateusz Didenkow seventh at 5.75. All three achieved personal bests. Michalski won the gold medal at the World University Games in Shenzhen.

Poles dominating the pole vault – it has not happened since the wondrous days when Tadeusz Slusarski and Wladyslaw Kozakiewicz won consecutive Olympic titles in Montreal in 1976 and Moscow in 1980 (where Slusarski tied for the silver with Konstantin Volkov of the USSR).

As for us in Daegu, we can just keep on expecting the unexpected.

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The sun was out on day three of the IAAF world championships and there were some bright results for the Flame, with Lauren Boden (ACT) setting a season’s best in the 400m hurdles and Benn Harradine (Vic) qualifying for tomorrow night’s discus final.

 

Harradine was the first Flame athlete in action when he took to the field in Group A of discus qualifying, alongside defending world champion Robert Harting (GER), Olympic championGerd Kanter (EST), and Virgilijus Alekna (LTU) and Robert Fazekas (HUN), who both have 70m plus personal bests.

 

With the automatic qualification mark set at 65.50m, Harradine’s first effort went just shy of 60m but resulted in a foul. His second looked to have much more conviction as it fell at 63.49m, which resulted in his sixth place finish at the end of Group A.

 

With the morning sun baring down on the stadium he then took refuge in the little shade available on the in-field, before his final throw of 51.86m. Harradine thenendured a nervous wait as Group B took to the stadium. However, only four athletes in the second group threw further than the Commonwealth Champion, which meant qualification for the final.

 

Piotr Malachowsi (POL) heaved the longest throw of 65.48m, from Group B, while Ehsan Hadadi (IRI) topped the A’s rankings with 65.21m.

 

Harradine said: “I’m a guy who likes to be feeling a lot of tightness when I’m throwing and when it’s so hot your muscles are really long and it’s hard to maintain that sort of tightness. It wasn’t extremely bad but I was just not consistent, which added a little bit of pressure.

 

“It will be a different story at night time, a little bit cooler and just a little bit more relaxed. Once you’re through you can - not relax - but take a breath and then re-motivate yourself and try and smash some throws.”

 

As Harradine learnt of his qualification for the final, Boden was on the track in the first heat of the 400m hurdles. The 23-year-old ran an impressive race, in a heat which included the fastest hurdler the year Kaliese Spencer (JAM), to finish fourth and set a new season’s best time of 55.78.

 

Boden said: “I’ve been training really well and I knew that if I just concentrate on getting my stride pattern I’d be able to run fast. Now the jobs done it’s a relief I’m into the semis. Now I’ve got nothing to lose, I’m going to give it all my all tomorrow night.

 

“My flat speed has gone a lot better now that it ever has been. So it’s been a bit hard to correlate that over to the hurdles, but today I think I executed itpretty well and I took an extra stride into hurdle ten so I can always try and fix that up tomorrow night.”

 

There was disappointment for Youcef Abdi (NSW) in the 3000m steeplechase. The Olympic finalist finished 28^th overall having finished eight in the third and final heat, which contained the fastest athlete in the world this year, Brimin Kiprop Kipruto (KEN). 

 

Abdi sat behind him and his compatriot Abraham Kipkiron Chircher for the first few laps in a bid to keep in touch with the top four automatic qualifying spots. However, he was unable to respond when Benjamin Kiplagat (UGA), the Kenyans and Roba Gari (ETH) broke after 2000m.

 

Abdi said: “It was tough. I tried to go with the leaders and make sure I secured the first four places to qualify automatically. I went good for three or four laps and then my body just started to feel a bit tight and it wasn’t responding as good as I thought it would. It was very a hard day, I’m disappointed.”

 

The 2011 IAAF World Championships are LIVE on SBS TWO with daily highlights from 27 August – 5 September.

 

ENDS

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In unfortunate news for the Australian Flame, green and gold hopeful Eloise Wellings (NSW) has been forced to withdraw as a result of injury from the women's 10,000m final on day one of the IAAF world championships.

 

The Australian title holder in the event, Wellings was set to make her world championships debut here in Daegu (KOR) before injury forced the 28-year-old to remain on the sideline.

 

“Eloise has an inflamed nerve in the middle of her foot that hasn’t settled with treatment and we are therefore withdrawing her,” Adam Castricum, Australian Flame Team Doctor, said.

 

Australia’s attention now shifts to dual Olympic medallist Jared Tallent (Vic) and Australian championship medallist Adam Rutter (NSW) set to compete in the men’s 20km walk final tomorrow morning.

 

Reigning world champion Dani Samuels (NSW) returns to the throwers cage for the women’s discus throw final to headline the Flame charge in the evening session. Advancing after an anxious wait to see if she would qualify today, Samuels will look to reprieve what was aless then perfect qualifying round.

 

“Tomorrow is a new day and we have Jared and Dani in the mix which is great,” EricHollingsworth, Australian Team Leader, said.

 

“We are hopeful for Jared, he’s an Olympic medallist but you always have to see with the walks and for Dani we are confident she can improve on her qualifying round this afternoon.”

 

To stay tuned with international across tonight’s evening session, please log ontoathletics.com.au

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Five medals and a top ten team finish is the expectation of the Flame team at the IAAF world championships in Daegu (KOR), according to Athletics Australia High Performance Manager and Australian Team Leader Eric Hollingsworth.

 

Those medal expectations come on the back of the two Australia wins at the Summer Universaide in Shenzhen (CHN), which included gold from Lachlan Renshaw in the 800m last night. The Sydney-born athlete came from sixth place in the last 120m to claim the title in 1:46.36.

 

Sean Wroe won bronze in the 400m, and has brought his recent success with him into Daegu where he has joined 2009 bronze medal-winning teammates Ben Offereins, John Steffensen and Tristan Thomas. Steve Solomon is the newest member of that relay team for the 2011 championships.

 

Hollingsworth said: “Lachlan did very well, he’s been in good form all year and a win at such a championships is such a great feat, so congratulations to him.

 

“It was very good for Sean too, considering where he has been for the most part of the season, he has got himself a decent result there, and got himself another medal.

 

“All the guys are in now and are training well, they’re all fit and healthy so we are certainly going to get into the final and from there we are hopeful. The 4x400m boys are the defending bronze medallists, and there’s a bit of expectation on them.”

 

Mitchell Watt also won bronze in Berlin, while Steve Hooker and Dani Samuels won gold in the pole vault and discus throw respectively.

 

Hooker is the reigning world and Olympic champion, but has spent much of 2011 recovering from injury since defending his Commonwealth title in New Delhi (IND). Meanwhile Samuels dominated the domestic season in Australia, winning every competition, and has only failed to finish top three once this year.

 

Such is the health of Australian athletics at the moment, that as well as two defending champions, the Flameteam is also attracting attention for two prospective medals from Sally Pearson and the aforementioned Watt.

 

Pearson and Watt, who have both recognised and accepted the expectation they are under, are both undefeated in the Samsung Diamond League. Pearson’s winning streak also stretches across the 2011 Australian season and includes the fastest 100m hurdles time in the world of 12.48, while Watt has the four biggest jumps in the world this year, including an Oceania and Australian record 8.54m leap from Stockholm (SWE).

 

Hollingsworth continued: “It’s always difficult to defend a title and from our point of view I wouldn’t suggest Steve and Dani are favourites for the gold medal at this stage. Sally and Mitch would be bigger title favourites, but Steve and Dani are champions so we certainly expect them to be up there.

 

“It’s good to have pressure on Sally and Mitch, and the team as a whole. I would rather that than having them coming in ranked 12th or 15th and maybe not performing, expectation is a good thing.

 

“We’ve got champions and we’re trying to build a culture where expectation is part of the process, so I’m very happy that they’re favourites.

 

“The other basic key performance indicator for us is to be inside the top ten as a nation, so we’ve got to get at least another 10 finalists alongside the five medals we’re looking for to get somewhere around 55 to 60 points.

 

“Dani, Steve, Mitch and Sally are the medal contenders and we certainly have some expectation from the walkers right across the board. We are hopeful for Fabrice (Lapierre) too, he was fourth in 2009 and is obviously really close to the mark.” 

 

In the walks, Nathan Deakes is a former world champion, having won the 50km walk crown in 2007, while Jared Tallent won silver in the same event at the Beijing Olympics as well as bronze in the 20km walk.

 

Hollingsworth added: “I’m hoping the conditions are hot. The walkers have prepared correctly in their heat chambers. Jared is on the record as saying he prefers the heat, while Nathan seems to be in great shape. Some of his training has been right up there and he hasn’t walked like that for four or five years.

 

“Personally my dark horses are Jeff Riseley and Benn Harradine. If Jeff is thereabouts in the 1500m I really believe that he has enough in him to challenge, and Benn has the potential to throw around 66m plus which will certainly go close.”

 

For more information on the 2011 IAAF world championships including Australian Flame team information, athlete profiles, news and results, please visit 

athletics.com.au.

 

IAAF world championships
Daegu (KOR)
August 27 – September 4, 2011

 

The 2011 IAAF World Championships are LIVE on SBS TWO with daily highlights from 27 August – 5 September.

 

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Australian 1500m champion Jeff Riseley faces a tough decision upon arriving in the IAAF world championships athlete village today, with the 24-year-old set to make a call on whether to compete in the 800m, the 1500m or both when competition commences in Daegu (KOR) next Saturday, August 27.

 

Riseley is one of only three athletes, the others being Sally Pearson (100m, 100m hurdles) andBen St Lawrence (5000m, 10,000m), selected to compete in multiple individual events, with a close assessment of the timetable with coach Nic Bideau set to decide which event or events Riseley will compete.

 

“I haven’t really made up my mind about whether I will do both, the timetable is tough but I will chat with my coach in the village in the next couple of days and make a call from there,” Riseley said.

 

“My year has been tracking really well, I expected the qualifier in the 1500m, I knew that it was something I was more than capable of. The 800m was a bit more of a surprise but I was in shape at the race where I ran the 1:45.02 and just went for it when I had my chance.”

 

“I do want to compete better than what I have been here [Daegu] though, the race in Monaco didn’t see me finish where I wanted and I need to change that at world championships whichever event I run in. I haven’t missed a training session in ten months and now just want to convert my hard work to strong results.

 

“I should make the final if I run like I know I can, it’s a good stepping stone as I look ahead to London and that’s a step I need to take.”

 

A further eight athletes competing in middle distance events and the marathonjoin Riseley on the Australian Flame team, with Youcef Abdi (3000m SC), Collis Birmingham (5000m), Ryan Gregson (1500m), Jeff Hunt (marathon), Kaila McKnight (1500m), Craig Mottram (5000m), Eloise Wellings (10,000m) and St Lawrence all set to start.

 

Abdi made the 3000m steeplechase final at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and only weeks ago clocked his second fastest time (8:16.41) for the event, Hunt finished 13th in the marathon at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, while Birmingham, Mottram and St Lawrence arrive in Daegu with 5000m season best performances of 13:15.70, 13:10.08 and 13:11.51 respectively.

 

McKnight made her debut with the Australian Flame in the 1500m at last year’s Commonwealth Games, Wellings is the Australian 10,000m champion and Gregsonmade history in 2010 by lowering the national 1500m record to 3:31.06.

 

“The distance ranks are looking pretty good, I don’t think Australia has had as much depth as it does at the moment for quite some time” Riseley explained.

 

“Take a look at this squad alone and there are major championship medallists, national record holders and a swag of Australian titles.”

 

Looking forward to competing first and foremost, Riseley, who sits third on the 800m Australian all-time list, is also excited by how strong the Australian Flame is in 2011.

 

“Personally, I can’t wait to get out there and compete but from a team perspective things are looking really good,” Riseley continued.

 

“Mitch (Watt) has been killing it, Sally (Pearson) can’t seem to lose and we have two defending champions that are more than able of continuing their world title winning streak.

 

“This Flame is capable of great things and when you think about how the Olympics are now less than 12 months away that’s very positive for the sport.”

 

The 2011 IAAF world championships begin in just six days, with Riseley set to lead the green and gold distance charge in round one of the men’s 800m in the afternoon session on day one.

 

For more information on the 2011 IAAF world championships including Australian Flame team information, athlete profiles, news and results, please visit athletics.com.au.

 

IAAF world championships
Daegu (KOR)
August 27 – September 4, 2011

Saturday, August 27:
M 800m (R1): Jeff Riseley (Vic)

W 10,000m (F): Eloise Wellings (NSW)

 

Sunday, August 28:

W 1500m (R1): Kaila McKnight (Vic)

M 800m (SF): Jeff Riseley (Vic)
M 10,000m (F): Ben St Lawrence (NSW)

 

Monday, August 29:

M 3000m SC (R1): Youcef Abdi (NSW)

 

Tuesday, August 30:
M 1500m (R1): Ryan Gregson (NSW), Jeff Riseley (Vic)

W 1500m (SF): Kaila McKnight (Vic)

M 800m (F): Jeff Riseley (Vic)

 

Thursday, September 1:
M 5000m (R1): Collis Birmingham (Vic), Craig Mottram (Vic), Ben St Lawrence (NSW)

M 3000m SC (F): Youcef Abdi (NSW)

W 1500m (F): Kaila McKnight (Vic)

 

Saturday, September 3:

M 1500m (F): Ryan Gregson (NSW), Jeff Riseley (Vic)

 

Sunday, September 4:

M Marathon: Jeff Hunt (NSW)

M 5000m (F): Collis Birmingham (Vic), Craig Mottram (Vic), Ben St Lawrence (NSW) 

 

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Dual Olympic medallist Jared Tallent has in recent days joined almost all of the Australian Flame team in the IAAF world championships athlete village, with the star walker set to take full advantage of his early arrival before the gun sounds for the men’s 20km walk on Sunday, August 28.

 

Looking to acclimatise to the hot and humid conditions of the host city, Tallent, who will also compete in the 50km walk, has arrived in Daegu (KOR) after spending much of his year training in the altitude house and heat room of the Australian Institute of Sport.

 

“I’ve headed overseas for a couple of races but based myself primarily in Canberra this year, training at home and using the facilities at the AIS. I have spent plenty of time in the altitude house and even more in the heat room so that I can prepare for the hot conditions that we’ll face,” Tallent said.

 

“We always knew that conditions here would be tough but to be honest I didn’t think it was too bad until I headed out for a training session yesterday. That’s why we’ve come in early, so that we have 14 days to prepare for my first race, get used to the heat and be ready for a strong start.

 

“I really like racing in the heat, it’s where I perform at my best so fingers crossed I can use that to my advantage.”

 

Tallent is joined on the walks start list by his wife Claire Tallent (20km walk), training partner and Australian Flame debutante Regan Lamble (20km walk), Commonwealth Games silver medallist Luke Adams (20km walk, 50km walk), Australian championship medallist Adam Rutter(20km walk) and former world record holder Nathan Deakes (50km walk).

 

Deakes, who is one of only seven Australians to win gold at the world championships, will compete in the green and gold for the first time internationally sincetaking victory in the 50km walk at the 2007 championships in Osaka (JPN).

 

Tallent continued: “I might be a bit biased but Claire has been training really well so I am pumped to see how she will go. I train with Regan too and her build up has been phenomenal, it’s a new and exciting experience for her and she’s a really capable competitor.”

 

“The other boys have been based in St Moritz and word is they are training really well. Luke, Nathan and I share the top four spots with Simon Baker on the Australian All-Time list for the 50km and if we perform near that level we can all finish top eight.

 

“That would be the best result of any event group by Australia at a world championships and that will bode really well as we look ahead to London.”

 

Tallent’s own goal is to again return to the dais. A silver (50km walk) and bronze (20km walk) medallist at the 2008 Olympics, at the world championships in Berlin (GER) he finished outside the medals in sixth (20km walk) and seventh (50km walk) before winning the 20km walk at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi (IND).

 

Tallent added: “I want to be back on the podium this year, I want to use the heat to my advantage and finish what has been a pretty solid training block.”

 

“I know I can finish top three, and if I do I’ll be a very happy camper."

 

For more information on the 2011 IAAF world championships including Australian Flame team information, athlete profiles, news and results, please visit athletics.com.au.

 

IAAF world championships

Daegu (KOR)

August 27 – September 4, 2011

 

Sunday, August 28:

9:00am (10:00am AEST)

M 20km Walk: Luke Adams (NSW), Jared Tallent (Vic), Adam Rutter (NSW)

 

Wednesday, August 31:

9:00am (10:00am AEST)

W 20km Walk: Regan Lamble (Vic), Claire Tallent (SA)

 

Saturday, September 3:

8:00am (9:00am AEST)

M 50km Walk: Luke Adams (NSW), Nathan Deakes (Vic), Jared Tallent (Vic)