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IAAF Continental Cup Preview - Women

IAAF Continental Cup - Split, Croatia: 4/5th September, 2010

IAAF Continental Cup - Split, Croatia (4th & 5th September)

Australia will send a team of 30 athletes (17 men and 13 women) to the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup, who will compete under Asia/Pacific banner. Under the new format (previously known as the IAAF World Cup), there are four world regions who will compete in head to head competition, Europe, Americas, Asia/Pacific and Africa. Official Website: Click here.........  Official Results: Click here.........

Preview: Australian Women's Team

The Australian women's team, which includes 2010 World Junior representative Anneliese Rubie,  is as follows:

• Melissa Breen (19, ACT) - 100m
• Jody Henry (25, WA) - 200m and 400m
• Kaila McKnight (24, VIC) - 1500m/3000m
• Eloise Wellings (27, NSW) - 5000m
• Sally Pearson (23, QLD) - 100m hurdles
• Lauren Boden (22, ACT) - 400m hurdles
• Dani Samuels (22, NSW) - discus throw
• Gabrielle Neighbour (26, VIC) - hammer throw
• Kimberley Mickle (25, WA) - javelin throw
• Alan Boyd (26, QLD) - Pole Vault
• 4x400m - Boden, Henry, Olivia Tauro (20, NSW), Anneliese Rubie (18, NSW), Amanda Crook (29, VIC)

We were lucky enough to catch up with Melissa Breen to discuss her appearance in Croatia, in what should be a perfect lead up event to the Commonwealth Games in October. Runnerstribe: You have been running some fantastic times in training over the past month (including a 10.9h wind assisted 100m performance), especially considering the cold wintery days in Canberra!! Do you believe that you could be in PB form entering both the Continental Cup and then the Commonwealth Games? Melissa Breen: Thank you, training has been going so well, I can’t wait to start racing in Europe (ed: Melissa ran 11.59sec over 100m in her debut in Europe on the 29th August - in Rieti, Italy), I guess I go by the saying as, control the things you can control, I have put myself in the best  possible position to run a personal  best before the Commonwealth Games, now we just need the hot conditions and a nice tail wind! I know I am in the right shape, I just have to now relax and let it happen. Runnerstribe: With some quality athletes running in Croatia in the women’s 100m (including Shalonda Solomon and Blessing Okagbare), what would be your aim in terms of a final placing? Melissa: My aim is to win, I have to go into the race believing that otherwise what am I doing there? (ed: a great philosophy, regardless of the competition). It is a great opportunity in Croatia to have such a quality field, something I have never really experienced before at a senior level, it excites me and I know I can rise to the occasion! Runnerstribe: Are you excited by the new structure of the Continental Cup – where you will be actually representing Asia/Pacific instead of Oceania (that was part of the World Cup structure of previous versions) Melissa: I am really excited about the Continental Cup, it will be the biggest race of my career so far, and I can’t wait to be on the starting blocks. The new structure of Continental Cup is great, I am also looking forward to racing against Chisato Fukushima (ed: 100m PB of 11.21sec), she is the Japanese record holder in the 100m and 200m. I competed against her when I was in Japan in May this year and it should be another good head to head battle. Runnerstribe: Is the timing of the Continental Cup perfect – being just prior to the Commonwealth Games? Melissa: It works really well for me, I have my first race in Europe in Rieti, Italy on the 29^th, a perfect lead up meet to Continental Cup and then Commonwealth Games one month after that. Matt Beckenham (my coach) and I have developed this plan for Europe, less racing than last year, more getting through the training and it’s all about peaking at the Commonwealth Games. I am still very new to racing in Europe, and each year is a new learning experience for Matt and me. Runnerstribe: You have represented Australia at the World Juniors in 2008 and then ran both the 100m and 200m at the 2009 WUG. This is another big step in your career on the international scene, what would be a successful 2010 look like for Melissa Breen? Melissa: A successful 2010 for Melissa Breen would be, handling Europe, last year was a massive learning experience for me, dealing with the disappointment of 2009 W.C. The goal for the Commonwealth Games is to make the final in the 100m and run sub 11.30 to qualify for next year’s World Championships. But most of all enjoy the experience, smile and race hard, you never know what could happen on the day, so give it everything you’ve got. The women's 100m field includes:

1. Kelly-Ann Baptiste (TRI) - 10.84sec PB
2. Shalonda Solomon (USA) - 10.90sec PB
3. Blessing Okagbare (NGR) - 11.00sec PB
4. Veronique Mang (FRA) - 11.11sec PB (2nd at the 2010 European Championships)
5. Verena Sailer (GER) - 11.10sec PB (1st at the 2010 European Championships)

Apart from what should be an interesting 100m event, the Australian women will be looking towards the likes of in-form athletes such as Sally Pearson and Dani Samuels to lead the way. Pearson has been in excellent form since she arrived in Europe in late July, and has already broken 12.60sec for the 100m hurdles on two occassions (12.57sec in Stockholm and 12.59sec in Switzerland). Pearson's main danger for a win in Split will be American Lolo Jones, although Pearson holds a 3-0 head to head record over Jones in competition within Europe so far in 2010. The clear advantage should ceratinly be a confidence boost for Pearson as she heads into the 100m hurdles event. In the field Samuels has been extremely consistent with the discus in 2010, finishing no lower than 4th in any of her international competitions. Although not throwing over 63m since she arrived in Europe in July, Samuels still boasts a personal best of 65.84m - set when winning at the Sydney Track Classic in February. If Samuels is to take out the victory in Split, she will probably be required to defeat local favourite Sandra Perkovic - who won there recent battle in Bruxelles throwing an excellent 66.93m, which was also a new National record. Perkovic is also the reigning European outdoor champion for the women's discus. Other Aussie women in action over the two days of competition: Jody Henry - hasn't raced on the International circuit in 2010, but has set personal bests in 2010 of 23.29sec for the 200m and 52.20sec for the 400m. Capable of breaking 52 seconds in the near future for the one lap. Kaila McKnight - will be running in her pet event, the 1500m, an event that has seen her lower her PB down to 4.08.78 in 2010.  Also own a 9.06.60 personal best over 3000m this year, but looks to be in career best form and a sub 9.00.00 performance would not surprise. Eloise Wellings - will contest the 5000m in Croatia, an event that she has broken the magical 15 minute barrier (back in 2006 - when she ran 14.54.11 in Zurich). Wellings hasn't quite hit the same heights as she did back four years ago, but did show some recent form over 1500m (in early July) - when she ran 4.15.49. Has a SB over 5000m of 15.16.87, when 2nd in Osaka back in May. Lauren Boden - this year has been a big year for the 22 year-old, lowering her personal best over the 400m hurdles to 55.25sec - when winning in Osaka in May. Previous to 2010 Boden hadn't broken 56seconds, so her run in Japan was a big breakthrough for the Matt Beckenham trained athlete. Has also lowered her 400m PB down to 53.51sec, which lead to her selection as part of the 4x400m team in Split. Boden's last race in Rieti, Italy (29 August) 3saw her produce her second fastest time of her career - a 55.48sec. Gabrille Neighbour - has clearly become Australia's number one athlete in the women's hammer event in 2010. Threw a PB of 64.80m at the National Championships in April, and then threw a massive best of 66.31m at a meeting in Melbourne in early August. Still not competative on the international scene but is ever improving. Kim Mickle - has stayed mostly in Australia since her win at the National Championships in April (60.66m). Does own a personal best of 63.49m from 2009, and will be looking at closing in on the mark in the lead up to the Commonwealth Games in October. Recently threw over 60m (60.14m) in a meeting in Italy (31st August). Click Here for the Australian Men's Preview