Athletics Australia Athlete Update September 2, 2010

The world’s top track and field athletes will take centre stage this weekend as the IAAF Continental Cup rolls into Split, Croatia, where 26 Australians en route to next month’s Commonwealth Games will hone their preparations for New Delhi (IND).

Twenty-eight Australians will line up for team Asia-Pacific at the 2010 edition of the worldwide meet, where they will take on the might of Africa, the Americas and Europe over two days of hard-fought track and field action.

Headlining the action for Australia will be world champions Steve Hooker (pole vault) and Dani Samuels (discus throw), world indoor champion Fabrice Lapierre (long jump) and Olympic silver medallist Sally Pearson (100m hurdles), who will lead a host of fellow Games nominees into battle on the world stage.

In other athletics action, Commonwealth Games nominees Amanda Bisk (pole vault), Liz Parnov(pole vault) and Chris Noffke (long jump) will kick off the weekend’s events when they step out at the Meeting Citta di Padova in Italy tomorrow night.

Athlete updates will be circulated weekly in the lead-up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, in October. Athletes listed in italics have secured nomination to the Australian Flame team bound for New Delhi

September 3: Meeting Citta di Padova – Padova, ITAPole vault: Amanda Bisk (24, WA), Liz Parnov (16, WA)
Long jump: Chris Noffke(22, Qld)
September 4: IAAF Continental Cup – Split, CRO
100m (M): Aaron Rouge-Serret(22, Vic)
100m (W): Melissa Breen (19, ACT)
400m (M): Ben Offereins (24, WA)
400m (W): Jody Henry (25, WA)
1500m: Mitchell Kealey(26, Qld)
3000m: Kaila McKnight (24, Vic)
5000m: Collis Birmingham (25, Vic)
400m hurdles (M): Brendan Cole(29, ACT)
400m hurdles (W): Lauren Boden(22, ACT)
Long jump: Fabrice Lapierre (26, NSW)
Discus throw: Dani Samuels(22, NSW)
Shot put: Scott Martin(27, Vic)
Javelin throw: Kimberley Mickle(25, WA)
September 5: IAAF Continental Cup – Split, CRO
200m (M): Matt Davies (25, Qld)
200m (W): Jody Henry 
800m: Ryan Gregson (20, NSW)
1500m: Kaila McKnight 
3000m: Ben St Lawrence (28, NSW)
5000m: Eloise Wellings (27, NSW)
100m hurdles: Sally Pearson(23, Qld)
3000m steeplechase: Youcef Abdi (32, NSW)
Pole vault: Steve Hooker (28, WA)
Discus throw: Benn Harradine (27, Vic)
Hammer throw: Gabrielle Neighbour (26, Vic)
Javelin throw: Jarrod Bannister(25, Vic)
4x400m relay (M): Brendan Cole, Joel Milburn (24, NSW), Kevin Moore (19, NSW), Ben Offereins
4x400m relay (W): Lauren Boden,Amanda Crook (29, Vic),Jody Henry, Anneliese Rubie (18, NSW), Olivia Tauro (20, NSW)
September 9: Notturna di Milano – Milan, ITA
800m: Lachlan Renshaw(23, NSW)
1500m: Collis Birmingham, Mitchell Kealey (26, Qld)
3000m: Ben St Lawrence
September 12: DKB-Duel – Berlin, GER
Long jump:Chris Noffke

ENDS