Stage set for one last outing in London

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Current world leads Sally Pearson (QLD) and Mitchell Watt (QLD) will start as favourites at Round 12 of the Samsung Diamond League this weekend as London(GBR) plays host to the last major track and field outing ahead of the 2011IAAF world championships.

 

Set to be joined by six of their Flame teammates and a further five Australian athletes with a disability, the duo arrive in Crystal Palace laying claim to new national records after Pearson clocked 12.48 (w: +0.7) in the 100m hurdles last month and Watt soared 8.54m (w: +1.7) to take an easy victory in Stockholm (SWE) only days ago.

 

Eric Hollingsworth, Athletics Australia High Performance Manager, said: “It’s great to be here in London for the Diamond League just weeks out from the main event in Korea.”

 

“The start lists are stacked, and Sally and Mitch head in after fantastic European build-ups this year. For them this should be that last confidence boost ahead of the world champs.”

 

“We'll head to the Tonbridge School in Kent on Monday for one of two simultaneously run training camps, the other being hosted in the Daegu athlete village itself, and 12 months out from the Olympics that’s exciting. We’ll be based in the same place ahead of the Games next year and the opportunity to get the athletes in, using the facilities, understanding the setup bodes well for all involved.”

 

With 2008 Olympic gold medallist Irving Saladino (PAN), reigning world champion Dwight Phillips (USA), African champion Godfrey Mokoena (RSA) and new British national record holder Chris Tomlinson also taking to the runway, Watt’s competition arguably includes most athletes that will challenge him at the IAAF world championships. All five athletes boast personal best marks well beyond eight metres and all five featured on the 2009 world championships start list.

 

Pearson’s start in the 100m hurdles provides the triple Australian Athletics Championships gold medallist with the chance to compete as she will in Daegu, across multiple rounds. She will be challenged by new British national record holder Tiffany Ofili-Porter and Americans Danielle Carruthers and Virginia Crawford, both of whom have competed against Pearson in her three Diamond League wins.

 

Joining Pearson on track are Collis Birmingham (VIC), Craig Mottram (VIC) and Ben St Lawrence (NSW) in the 3000m, Youcef Abdi in the 3000m steeplechase, Tamsyn Manou (VIC) in an invitational 800m and Ryan Gregson (NSW) in the Emsley Carr Mile.

 

Birmingham, Mottram and St Lawrence face stiff competition from European 10,000m recordholder Mo Farah (GBR), while Abdi and Manou will line-up after clocking season best performances of 8:16.41 (3000m SC) and 2:00.78  (800m) respectively. Australian 1500m record holder Gregson’s rivals include Nick Willis (NZL), Bernard Lagat (USA) and Augustine Choge (KEN).

 

Also competing in London are Australian athletes with a disability Jodi Elkington (ACT, T36/38 100m), Katy Parrish (VIC, T36/T38 100m), Scott Reardon (ACT, T42/44 200m), Jack Swift (VIC, T42/44 200m) and IAAF world championships bound Richard Colman (VIC, T53/54 1500m).

 

Hollingsworth continued: “The 2012 Paralympics are also high on the Athletics Australia agenda and to see five starters this weekend is great.”

 

“Competition here marks the end of an almost month long trip for athletes as they push for selection next year, and for Richard Colman it’s a great competition opportunity before starting in the T53 400m in Daegu later in the month.”

 

Elkington, who has cerebral palsy, made her international debut at the IPC Athletics World Championships in January where she placed 4th in the T37 400m and 8th in the T37 100m, while Beijing Paralympian Parrish is continuing her returnfrom injury after being forced to withdraw from the Christchurch-hosted event earlier this year.

 

Reardon and Swift also made their international debuts at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships. Swift, who competes in the same leg amputee category as Oscar Pistorius (RSA), starts this weekend after clocking new personal best across 100m and 200m in the past fortnight.