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Current world lead Mitchell Watt will headline the men’s long jump at the Samsung Diamond League in Stockholm (SWE) this Friday night, with the IAAF world championship bronze medallist set to lead an Australian start list of eight.

 

His first competitive hit-out since injuring his heel last month, Watt is sure his cautious recovery will bode well as he maintains his focus on winning gold at the IAAF world championships in Daegu.

 

“The doctor said about ten days ago that it was fine to jump on, and I haven’t had any pain for about two weeks,” Watt said.

 

“But with the world championships as my main goal my coach Gary Bourne and I have decided to take it slow, avoid jump sessions and give it as much time as possible.

 

“All of my training has been going better than ever and I’m sure it will be fine, I’m just keen to test it and hopefully get something big out in the process.”

 

Watt arrived at Athletics Australia’s Cologne base as the best in the world this year after twice leaping 8.44m, at the Australian Athletics Championships and Round 2 of the Diamond League in Shanghai (CHN), before soaring 8.20m (w: +3.0) at the Bad Langensalza Long Jump Meet in Germany last month.

 

“My build up over here has been good, Cologne seems to be a bit quieter than I remember in 2009 but I think that’s because the world champs were in Berlin that year,” Watt continued.

 

“Personally it’s very different though because leading into the last world champs I wasn’t expected to do as well as I did whereas this year I came to Europe as the world leader, will hopefully head to Daegu in the same fashion and I want to return home as the world champion.

 

“After that I can assess my build-up to London and there is no better way to head into an Olympic year than as the best in the world. I think we all know that theselection trials will be here before we know it and I want to make sure that I am on my game both in Daegu and as the Australian season fast approaches.”

 

Joining Watt on the runway is Olympic champion Irving Saladino (PAN) and fellow AustralianRobbie Crowther. Saladino in Paris two weeks ago jumped 8.40m (w: +0.2) to win and challenge for the number one spot, while Crowther will make his Diamond League debut.

 

Watt continued: “Saladino’s jump in Paris was massive so I am hoping to try and beat him, but for the most part I am treating it as a rehearsal for the world champs

 

"I want to get something big out early so I know my heel is right and from there we’ll see what happens

 

“It’s great to Robbie on the start list too, he has been jumping consistently at 8.00m and I’d be rapt to see him PB as a starting point but maybe even get the qualifier to push for selection.”

 

Also competing in the field is national record holder and Commonwealth discus champion Benn Harradine, who at the Paris Diamond League heaved 64.98m for 5th. Olympic and world champions Gerd Kanter (EST) and Virgilijus Alekna (LTU) will challenge him in the circle.

 

Harradine has enjoyed an impressive European campaign to date including five podium finishes and a season best performance of 66.07m, just 38 centimetres shy of his personal best.

 

On the track, Australian record holder Ryan Gregson and world championships bound Jeff Riseleywill join Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop (KEN) in the men’s 1500m, while Lachlan Renshaw andTamsyn Manou will compete in the men’s and women’s 800m events respectively.

 

Tristan Thomas rounds out the Australians in action in the men’s 400m alongside world indoor champion Jamaal Torrance (USA), with the Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder racing after two top-three performances at the Spitzen Leichathletik (46.53) and the Pergine Valsugana Meeting Internazionale (47.24).

 

To view and download start lists from the DN Galan, please click here.

 

IAAF Diamond League – Round 11

(DN Galan)

Stockholm (SWE)

Friday, July 29

 

4:30pm (12:30am Saturday, July 30 AEST)

800m: Lachlan Renshaw (NSW) (non-Diamond League event)

 

5:00pm (1:00am Saturday, July 30 AEST)

Discus throw: Benn Harradine (VIC)

 

6:15pm (2:15am Saturday, July 30 AEST)

400m: Tristan Thomas (ACT) (non-Diamond League event)

 

7:05pm (3:05am Saturday, July 30 AEST)

800m: Tamsyn Manou (VIC) (non-Diamond League event)

 

8:10pm (4:10am Saturday, July 30 AEST)

Long jump: Mitchell Watt (QLD), Robbie Crowther (ACT)

 

9:05pm (5:05am Saturday, July 30 AEST)

1500m: Ryan Gregson (NSW), Jeff Riseley (VIC)

 

ENDS

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The coming fortnight is shaping up as one of the biggest in Australian athletics this year, with more than 30 athletes competing at 14 meets in 11 countries.


Opening the green and gold account internationally are Lachlan Renshaw and Craig Mottram, with the duo set to compete at the Meeting Stanislas in Nancy (FRA) this Friday. Renshaw will for the third time this year face off with world record holder David Rudisha (KEN) in the 800m, while Mottram's 1500m start is his first in Europe this year.


The Gold Coast Athletics Centre will this weekend host the last of four Winter Series meets. Attracting a bounty of Australian track and field talent, the start list on Saturday includes five athletes selected to compete at the IAAF world championships later this year.


On Sunday, dual Olympic medallist Jared Tallent will start in a 50km road walk as his wife Claire Tallent competes across 20km at Round 8 of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Dublin (IRE).


World and world indoor championships bronze medallist Mitchell Watt rounds out the list of Australian starters overseas in the coming two weeks. He will take to the runway in Germany on July 2 before establishing a European base in Cologne (GER) with his coach Gary Bourne and training squad.


*Italics denotes athletes already selected for the IAAF world championships


June 24: Meeting Stanislas – Nancy, FRA

800m: Lachlan Renshaw (24, NSW)

1500m: Craig Mottram (31, Vic)


June 25: Golden Pole International – Busan, KOR

Pole vault: Liz Parnov (17, WA)


June 25: 57th Janusz Kusocinski Memorial – Sczcesin, POL

1500m: Jeremy Roff (27, NSW), Mark Fountain (29, Vic)

Discus throw: Benn Harradine (28, Vic)


June 25: Cottbus International – Cottbus, GER

Javelin: Kim Mickle (26, WA)

3000m steeplechase: Youcef Abdi (32, NSW)


June 25: Gold Coast Winter Series Meet #4 – Gold Coast, QLD

100m: Laura Whaler (23, NSW), Charlotte Van Veenendaal (22. Qld)

200m: Sean Wroe (26, Vic)

M 400m: Steven Solomon (18, NSW), Tristan Thomas (25, ACT), Joel Milburn (25, NSW),

Nick Boylett (24, Qld)

W 400m: Jody Henry (26, WA), Anneliese Rubie (20, NSW)

100m hurdles: Sally Pearson (24, Qld)

Long jump: Robbie Crowther (23, ACT)


June 26: IAAF Race Walking Challenge – Dublin, IRE

20km walk: Claire Tallent (29, ACT)

50km walk: Jared Tallent (26, ACT)


June 26: B.A.A 10-kay – Boston, USA

10km: Benita Willis (33, Vic), Shawn Forrest (27, Vic)


June 28: Sollentuna Grand Prix – Sollentuna, SWE

800m: Ryan Gregson (21, NSW)

1500m: Zoe Buckman (22, ACT), Collis Birmingham (25, Vic)


June 30: Bauhaus Junioren-Gala – Mannheim, GER

400m: Alexander Beck (19, Qld)

800m: Eliza Curnow (19, Vic), Kuey Diew (18, Qld)

1500m: Jordan Williamsz (18, Vic)

High jump: Brandon Starc (17, NSW)

Long jump: Brooke Stratton (17, Vic), Tim McGuire (19, SA)

Pole vault: Liz Parnov (17, WA)

Shot put: Damien Birkinhead (18, Vic), Liam Speers (19, NSW)

Discus throw: Taryn Gollshewsky (18, Qld), Liam Speers (19, NSW)

June 30: IAAF Diamond League – Lausanne, SUI

100m hurdles: Sally Pearson (24, Qld)


July 2: Meeting International – Sotteville les Rouen, FRA

1500m: Jeremy Roff (27, NSW)

Triple jump: Henry Frayne (21, Qld)


July 2: 60th Cork City Sports – Cork, IRL

1500m: Zoe Buckman (22, ACT), James Kaan (20, NSW)

3000m: David McNeill (24, Vic)


July 2: Bad Langensalza Long Jump Meet – Bad Langensalza, GER

Long jump: Mitchell Watt (23, Qld)


July 3: Gold Coast Marathon – Gold Coast, QLD

Half marathon: Lara Tamsett (22, NSW), Nikki Chapple (30, Vic)

ENDS

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Sydney will play host to Round 4 of the Australian Athletics Tour this Saturday night as Australia’s best track and field stars take on a bounty of international heavyweights at the Sydney Track Classic from 6:00pm on March 19.

 

The penultimate round of a five-stop program that culminates with the Tour Final in Perth in two weeks, the Sydney Track Classic in recent years has been the home of great performances, with 17 athletes achieving the Commonwealth Games A-qualifying standard at the meet last year.

 

Similarly to the IAAF Melbourne Track Classic, the meet will be headlined by 800m world record holder David Rudisha (KEN), with the Australian all-comers record holder set to join Olympic 1500m gold medallist Asbel Kiprop and national champion Lachlan Renshaw on the start line for two hot laps.

 

Lowering the 800m world record twice last year to 1:41.01, 21-year-old Rudisha is the African champion. In 2011, he has his sights firmly set on the one thing currently missing from his outstanding international resume - a major championships gold medal.

 

Kiprop, who only on occasion takes to the two-lap race, at Round 1 of the Diamond League in Doha (QAT) last year only narrowly missed taking line honours from Rudisha in a sprint up the straight, whilst Renshaw will fly the Australian flag having only a fortnight ago clocked a mere 0.26 seconds outside the IAAF world championships qualifier to set his new career best mark of 1:45.66.

 

The men’s 400m start list is also mouth watering, with triple Olympic gold medallist and the 10^th fastest 400m runner in history Angelo Taylor, who will also line up in the men’s 200m, set to join Australian champion Ben Offereins, dual Commonwealth Games medallist Sean Wroe and up and coming star Steven Solomon.

 

One of the stories of the Australian Athletics Tour, 17-year-old Solomon surprised everyone by winning the event in 46.12 at the IAAF Melbourne Track Classic and only last weekend recovered from the flu to convincingly win the under 20 national title at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships.

 

Meanwhile in the women’s sprints, Commonwealth 100m hurdles champion Sally Pearson will tackle the 100m, 200m and an International 4x100m Relay Challenge alongside Melissa Breen, Charlotte Van Veenendaal and Laura Whaler with the 44-second IAAF world championships qualifier in their sights.

 

The winner on every occasion she has taken to the track in 2011 and the current leader of the Australian Athletics Tour sprints/hurdles division (19 points), Pearson’s challenge in the short sprints comes from 2007 world championships gold medallist Mikele ‘Miki’ Barber (USA). Renowned for her pace out of the blocks, it is hoped that her presence could push Pearson to the 100m (11.14, w: +1.9) and 200m (22.23, w: +0.8) Australian records currently held by Melinda Gainsford-Taylor.

 

Flame athlete Lauren Boden is a likely challenger to Pearson in the sprints/hurdles title race and also one to watch in the women’s 400m hurdles. Fourth placed at the Commonwealth Games in October, Boden is edging towards the IAAF world championships qualifier of 55.40 with the mild and relatively still conditions forecast for Saturday night further sign of a possible great performance.

 

Centre stage on the in field will be local favourite Dani Samuels in the women’s discus throw.

 

The youngest world discus champion ever, Samuels achieved her career best performance of 65.84m at the Sydney Track Classic last year and, as current leader of the Australian Athletics Tour throws race (21 points), will be looking to break through the 62.00m IAAF world championships qualifier to secure solid bonus points heading into the Tour Final.

 

Looking to spoil Samuels’ party will be Becky Breisch (USA) as she begins her campaign for selection to her fourth U.S world championships team. The American discus champion, Breisch last July heaved 66.52m in California to record the fourth best throw of 2010.

 

On the runway, Commonwealth Games gold medallist Alana Boyd will dual in the women’s pole vault with American Chelsea Johnson and world and world indoor championships bronze medallist Mitchell Watt will have top billing in the men’s long jump.

 

The 2009 Berlin world championships silver medallist, Johnson boasts a personal best of 4.73m, whilst Boyd cleared 4.60m two weeks ago to improve her career best for the second time in as many weeks and launch herself to second on the Australian All-Time list alongside former world record holder Emma George.

 

Watt missed much of 2010 as a result of injury but his return to the sand pit in recent weeks has seen the Queenslander leap 8.13m (w: +0.1) and 7.98m (w: +1.2) for victory in Brisbane and Melbourne respectively.

 

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 Sydney Track Classic is the fourth round, with domestic athletes on the hunt for not only a victory but bonus points to ensure their best possible ladder position before the Tour Final decider in Perth in two weeks.

 

To download the timetable and current entry lists please click here.

 

To view and download current leader boards of the Australian Athletics Tour, please click here.

 

2011 Australian Athletics Tour
Round 4: Sydney Track Classic – Saturday March 19, 2011
Go for 2&5 Australian Athletics Tour Final Perth: Thursday March 31 – Friday April 1, 2011

 

Sydney Track Classic
Sydney Olympic Park
6:00pm - Saturday, March 19 2011

 

Tickets are now on sale via the event website – www.sydneytrackclassic.com

 

In a first for Australian athletics, the Sydney Track Classic and upcoming Go for 2&5 Australian Athletics Tour Final in Perth will be streamed live on www.wcsn.com.au

 

ENDS

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

As I’m hunched over, hands on knees, gasping through the cold air with one hill rep to go, the encouragement from my training partners is quickly crushed by Coach Rowlands jibe, “don’t worry guys, Aussies are used to taking it from behind.” Sure enough my last rep was my best…

 

October’s Commonwealth Games seems a distant memory I think because so much has happened in the last 2 months. After a few days travelling around India and a few weeks at home, I packed my bags again and headed for the US to join up with the Oregon Track Club under the guidance of OTC Head Coach Mark Rowland (British Steeplechaser: 1988 Olympic Steeple Bronze – 8:07.96). OTC is based in Eugene, Oregon, aptly nicknamed ‘Tracktown USA’ - the birthplace of Nike, and made famous by American Track legend Steve Prefontaine. Track is king in Eugene, and when the offer came from Rowland to come and join OTC, the offer was too good to refuse.

 

When I joined up with the team in early November, my base fitness was 6 weeks behind the other US guys on the team who didn’t have to race through to the Commonwealths, but I took about the training full on with the goal to match it with the boys as best I could and build up that base fitness that I so desperately needed after a long year of racing. Something that has made that transition back to the long stuff so much easier has been having a top group of guys to train with and push me to extend my limits. The mid distance crew here in Eugene are namely Nick Symmonds (800m – 1:43.76), Tyler Mulder (800m – 1:46.32), Russell Brown (1500m – 3:36.89), Andrew Wheating (800m – 1:44.56 , 1500m – 3:30.90), Jemma Simpson (GBR: 800m – 1:59.07) and Geena Gall (800m – 2:00.44).

 

The world-class support and facilities offered by OTC means that we can do exactly what we need to do before, during, after and in between sessions to stay at our best. Use of anti gravity treadmills, swimming pool, medical, having the team physio on hand at every session, the University of Oregon’s recovery centre, and training at the historic Hayward Field don’t get much better. I feel pretty lucky to be now involved with the club and plan on making the best of the opportunity towards Daegu 2011 and London 2012. I’m putting together some solid training at the moment, so the new year is so exciting, not only to see what I can bring in 2011, but to see what the winter training has done for the other Aussie guys coming through in the 800m. Competition breed success, and with the likes of Tristan Garrett, Nick Bromley, James Kaan, James Gurr, Alex Rowe, Ryan Foster as well as the 1500m guys showing great form this year, there should be some huge showdowns in this coming season.

 

Some great news is that some of OTC is coming down for 5 weeks to  do some warm weather training and race some of the Aussie season, something which is sure to add some depth and spice to the distance events.. With the new IAAF rules meaning that times from last year now don’t count as qualifiers for the 2011 World Champs, the guys are looking to get their qualifiers out of the way early, great news for us!

 

I’m looking forward to being home for Christmas and spending some quality time with the family before heading to Falls Creek in the New Year.. Have a great festive season and hopefully catch some of you up at Falls!

 

Cheers

By Justin Rinaldi

Looks like it’s going to be a ripper of a race on the weekend, so I’ve whipped together a quick preview. Sorry if any of the listed times are off or if I have overlooked someone, but I don’t really have the time to check them all in my lunch break. I’m sure, as always, I’m pretty close. Good luck to all those racing. Vic Champs doesn’t look to be that strong on the Men’s side, but I might do a preview tomorrow for that nonetheless.

Listed in order of personal best times for 800m

Lachlan Renshaw 23 sb 1:47.26 pb 1:45.73 (09)
Paid a heavy price for trying to bridge the gap between the Aussies and Rudisha (pushing a little too hard between 300 and 500m) at the Melb GP this year and had to watch 3 guys sail past him in the last 60m to record fast pb’s in the process. Ran a recent AR over 600m 1:15.14 and has recorded 5 800m times quicker than next fastest on the list. Has increases his mileage this year and his 1500m times have dropped accordingly, but still needs to ensure he doesn’t lose any of his speed (45.7R). Recent eye infection forced him to miss the big race in NZ, so needs some solid hit outs this weekend to round in to top shape in time for Nationals. A second quicker than anyone in the field and has been the best 800m runner in the country for the last 3 years, deserves to be the heavy favourite

Tristan Garrett 22 sb 1:46.66 pb 1:46.66 (10)
Just a 1:49.13 man in 09, Garrett has made a rapid transition from 400 to 800 over the last 12-15months. Paid his dues in Europe last winter and has come out all the better for it this season. Former 400m guy with a 47.00pb and has run 47.61 this year. Was 2nd over 600 to Renshaw’s AR in 1:15.86, before he smashed his pb in Melb (2 sec improvement). Needs to prove that wasn’t just a one off before he can be considered the real deal, but I feel that there is more to come from the little guy. If it’s windy, I’d suggest finding someone else to sit behind!

James Gurr 26 sb 1:46.77 pb 1:46.77 (10)
Like Garret, Gurr has made a good transition from 400 (46.53pn from 06) to 800m over the last few years. Stepped up while attending university at Seton Hall in the US for 3 years. Ironically, Seton Hall recently dropped track and field from it’s program and has a long tradition of producing great 800m guys (Tracey Baskin, Al Royster, Ned Brooks to name a few…all ended up running for SMTC) over the last 20-25 years under Coach Moon. Gurr was also pulled to a quick time in Melb and will also need to prove this was not a one off (next quickest time is 1:48.51 ). Also ran a fast 1:16.59 for 600m recently.

Nick Bromley 27 sb 1:47.60 pb 1:47.05 (08)
4 time National Champ and probably the best Australian in 1:47 paced races ever. Hard pressed to ever count him out as he somehow finds a way to win races when you do. Has been a little inconsistent this year, but always manages to turn things around just in time for the champs. Has a 3:39.12 1500 pb to his name, so will handle the rounds well. Trying to double this weekend might prove too much in this classy field. Happy birthday Bromdog.

Werner Botha 25 sb 1:48.22 pb 1:47.54 (06)
God given talent, but has been somewhat inconsistent over the last few years. Returned home to Qld after spending a few years living/training in NSW and has shown glimpses of his old form, but again only ran a slow 1:53 in the fast Melb race. Surprised all by picking up a medal at Nationals last year and could very well do the same this weekend, but will need to be at his very best to do so.



James Kaan 20 sb 1:50.27 pb 1:47.62 (08)
Former junior star that ran 1:47.62 when just 17 years of age (I hope that is not an omen for Rowe). Missed most of last season thru injury, but bounced back with a solid cross country season over the winter and built a good base. Has been more focused on the 1500 this year and ran a pb of 3:43.04 last week when chasing Gregson home off a slow pace in NZ. His 800’s just haven’t seemed to click this year, but should be able to run back in the 1:48’s this week end.

Mark Abercromby 32 sb 1:49.96 pb 1:48.40 (06)
The oldest man in the in the preview at 32, who traditionally dons the famed all white bodysuit of Syd Uni. Missed a few years with injury, but now looks like he is hitting his straps after winning the ACT champs in sub 1:50 last week end (also the venue of his pb run). Always in the tick of things and can never be over looked. Might lack the basic speed to challenge the top end of the field, but should give his pb a tickle.

Tom Richardson 27 sb 1:51.25 pb 1:48.65 (05)
T-Bone also has missed a few years with injury after a motorbike crash…lucky to be walking let alone sprinting 800m. Ran a SB last weekend, but will need to lift a little if he wants to make the final.

Jeremy Roff 27 sb 1:49.45 pb 1:48.79 (09)
Low on the list of pb’s, but not low on the list of talent with a 3:34.39 1500m pb next to his name. Unlike public opinion, Roff does have a kick that can’t be underestimated. Recently finished 4th in the big 800m in NZ and will be looking to drop at least a second from his 800m pb run in the Vic champs last year. Will be using this weeend to sharpen up for the 1500m come Nationals.

JR’s Top 3

1st Renshaw 1:47.17
2nd Bromely 1:47.50 (if he doesn’t double)
3rd Gurr 1:47.51
**Garrett to miss out on a medal after doing most of the early work (unless he reads this preview first).

One of the best things about being a Marathon runner is that you have enforced breaks after each Marathon. In the past 12 months I have run more kilometres than ever before, but have had more days of no running than I have had in a long time. In the past if I was not running it usually meant I was injured. Still after week of no real running I was keen to get back out on the road and back into top shape as soon as possible.

Berlin was my 6th and I consider my best marathon. Immediately after finishing I was hit with two pieces of news – before I had even changed out of my racing shoes! The first news was that I finished 21st which although a very pleasing result, meant I had missed Commonwealth Games pre-selection by just one place. While frustrated at missing a top 20 finish, 20th place was 25 seconds ahead of me so it was not as though I had missed it by a sprint to the line. The second news was from my wife (by phone), she told me we were expecting twins in late February. I had left Australia knowing she was pregnant, but when Kathie found out the double result three days before I was to race she decided to wait until after the race to tell me. She wasn’t sure how I would react and didn’t want to divert my focus away from the marathon. It was certainly exciting and scary news – which I am still coming to terms with! Three children under two (our son Elye is now 16 months old) will keep us very busy.

Now back in Australia, I have resumed training after four weeks of taking it pretty easy. A couple of weeks in I am feeling OK. However, I am getting sore from doing sessions again despite my mileage being a fraction of what I was doing a couple of months ago. I'll start some second daily runs next week and I don't expect to have a rest day for 6 months. This build up will probably be a little slower than prior to my last two marathons as I have a bit more time. My next race is Noosa Bolt at the end of October, then probably the Great Australian Run in November and maybe my first major track race for a while at Zatopek in December. With the fast times the Australian boys have been running in the last year and no pressure on me to run fast, it will be good to race and try to be competitive against them. Following Zatopek, I plan to get into marathon training including a couple of weeks at Falls Creek in the New Year. If everything goes to plan, I hope to be on the start line in the Beppu-Oita Marathon on 7 February 2010. Hopefully the twins will time their arrival until after I get back from Japan!



Then I will be waiting until May to find out if I have done enough to be selected to head to Delhi for the Commonwealth Games in October. I expect it will be tough conditions in Delhi, but that may slow down the pace a bit at the very front and give us Australians a chance to compete for the medals.

So this weekend it is 10km tempo, 25km long run and probably some shopping for twin prams, car seats, etc, etc. Back into the routine again!

Marty


 

Runnerstribe.com is sponsored by New balance, as is Martin Dent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this year's World Athletics Tour meet in Melbourne a bomb was dropped by twenty year old Sydney-sider, Lachlan Renshaw. Renshaw won the 800m race in emphatic fashion in a time of 1:45.79. The time was a huge personal best and more importantly, an Olympic A qualifier. Renshaw thus catapulted himself into the spotlight as Australia's most promising 800m talent since the likes of Grant Cremer and Kris McCarthy. Lachlan then backed up this breakthrough shortly after, by winning the 2008 Australian 800m title.

 

Renshaw brings to the track true 400m speed (having clocked a 45:84 split for a 4 x 400m relay). The Runner's Tribe catches up with Lachlan to discuss his breakthrough and build up to his first Olympic games.

RunnersTribe: Lachlan, thanks for your time. You have been one of the top 800m runners in Australia for a few years now, but this year you rose to another level. Why this year?

LR: Well I hadn't recorded a PB for a year and a half prior to this season, but at the same time it was easy for me and my coach to see that my training was improving steadily. I was getting stronger and fitter but 2007 was not the best year for me as I was carrying a few little injuries and the fast times just didn't happen with the races I was dealt. So the run in Melbourne was coming for a while, I just had to get in the right race.

2008 Melbourne GP: 1:45.79

 

 

RT: You are coached by John Atterton, how important has his role been in your breakthroughs?

LR: Johnny is the big cheese of 800m coaching. Without him there's no way I could have run as fast as I have. He leaves nothing to chance in the training program, every base has to be covered. The old boy knows exactly how to get the best out of his athletes; you only have to look at his past success to see that.

RT:John Atterton has been the coach of many leading 800m runners. There was a period in which he coached both yourself as well as Nick Bromley. How did you find training with and being around one of your fiercest rivals so much?

LR: When I finished school I didn't have a coach because I'd always just trained with the school coaches during the athletics season. Johnny called me up and invited me to come and train with the National Champion and I jumped at the opportunity. Training with Bromley was a great opportunity for me to see what it took to be at that elite level. Having Bromers to aspire to every session meant I improved rapidly in that first year of training. That season we were more of a team than rivals, we just tried to smash each other every session, and we ended up taking out Gold and Bronze at the Nationals so it was good times.

RT: On the flip side, currently your main training partner is Werner Botha (another top Aussie 800m runner). How important is having such a talented training partner to work with week in week out?

LR: Werner and I train great together. With Nick we were such different athletes. Nick is from a 3k background and me from a 400m background. Wern and I are very similar as we're both 400/800m runners, which makes every rep in training a race to the finish. It's so important to have good runners to train with because they push you to that next level in the hard sessions whereas if you were doing it by yourself it is much harder to push past the pain barriers.

RT: I know people never shut up about Ralph Doubell and you are probably sick of hearing it. Are your sights set on the Australian record? What sort of areas in training do you feel that you need to work on in order to break his 40 year old national 800m record of 1:44.40?

LR: The Australian record is definitely in my sights! At the moment 1:44.40 would place you in about the top 10 in the world. It may be a while off, but the goal is to be the best in the world at what I do, so if that happens, the Australian record should fall somewhere along the way. The great thing is that there are still so many places that I can improve. My 400m speed is getting there, but to run 1:44 I'll have to improve my strength over the 1k and 1500, and there is lots of improvement to be had. Other areas to improve are technique and general strength which are things that can be worked on endlessly.

2008 Australian Championships

 

 

RT: So do you plan on ever doing any 1500m races?

LR: Ha ha, ever? Probably. Soon? Probably not… I've done three 1500's in my life and hated them all! Johnny reckons anything over 801m is a meter too far for me, and I won't argue with him. My PB as it stands is 4:11 so I should probably try to improve that some day.

RT: Can you give us a brief description of your training during both the summer season period as well as the winter base period.

LR: The number of sessions I do stays pretty constant, but the quality verse quantity of the sessions is obviously more focused towards the faster stuff in the Summer domestic season. An average week for me would be:

Mon - Weights (am) + track or hills (pm)
Tues - Cross training (am) + Hills (pm)
Weds - Easy run + Weights
Thurs - Usually just track session
Friday - Easy run + Weights
Sat - Quality session or race
Sun - Recovery run

RT: So you do a fair few weight sessions?

LR: I do weights 2 or 3 times a week with the NSWIS strength and conditioning coach Rudolph Sopko. He's a guru in the weights room and can make you hurt in places you didn't know you had. I'm a big believer in needing to have a high power to weight ratio in order to run fast.

Winning the 2008 Balmoral Burn for the third time

RT: Do you have any track sessions which stand out as being your favourite or most worthwhile?

LR:My favourite session is definitely 3 sets of 2x200's (30 secs recovery between reps, 4 minutes recovery between sets). We usually do that towards the end of a competition block to really get some speed lactic tolerance happening. Most worthwhile for me would probably be 4x1k. It's just not fun.

RT: Your time of 1:45.79 is getting down into the arena of world-class times. The 2000 Sydney Olympics was won in 1:45 by German Nils Shumman, off a slow first lap. I presume you are not traveling to Beijing for the scenery and that you are ambitious and positive about your chances of getting past the first round and challenging for a berth in the final?

LR: Definitely, you can't go in half hearted. I've put my life on hold this year to go to Beijing and done everything possible to make sure a good result comes of it. What you don't want is to look back and have regrets about the preparation.

Just to be going to the Olympics is amazing, and to toe the line wearing the Green and Gold on the world's biggest sporting stage is a dream come true. But without a doubt the competition is going to be fierce. The top 2 go through to the semis from each heat, so one mistake and you're gone. But the semis are definitely an achievable goal, and if you're in the semis, anything can happen! You just have to look at Tamsyn in the World Indoors this year, in the right place at the right time.

RT: What do you have planned pre Olympics?

LR:At the moment I'm at our training base in Cologne in Germany. Over here you can just focus on the training 100% and not have the distractions of normal life getting in the way. My first race will just be a low key meet in Jerez in Spain on the 24th of June, then Milan in Italy on the 2nd of July. I'll have 2 or 3 races towards the end of July depending on how I'm running, but the full focus is the heats in Beijing on the 20th of August, so that's when I'll be peaked and ready to open a can.

     

RT: Do you have any financial backers or sponsors at this stage?

LR: I'm sponsored by Adidas. They have an amazing athlete support system in place. I'm very lucky that I was picked up by them, because they make life as an athlete so much easier. I'm also supported by the NSWIS and Sydney University who both provide great training facilities and athlete environments.

RT:Lachlan, thanks for the interview, all the best with your Olympic build-up and the Olympics themselves. We hope to see you line up in that final.

Lachlan's website