Runnerstribe – StatsCentral

Uncategorized

November 30, 2011 Posted by Chris Wainwright in Uncategorized

Junior Stars Ready for Action at Australian All Schools

Hundreds of school aged athletes are set to converge on the athletics track at the University of Queensland for the 2011 Australian All Schools Championships, with many of our stars from the 2011 World Youth Championships set to compete.

Included in the start lists are World Youth silver medalist, Sarah Carli (400m hurdles), and World Youth bronze medalist, Monique Cilione (javelin). They will be joined by the likes of middle distance star Anna Laman, sprint sensations Monica Brennan and Hugh Donovan and javelin star Luke Cann - just to name a few. Below we take a more detailed look at some of the key events over the two days of competition:

Women's Sprints

You can't go past young Victorian Monica Brennan, who is set to dominate in the both the 100m and 200m. Brennan is coming off a brilliant 7th placing at the World Youth Championships in the 200m (24.05s), after earlier setting a PB in her SF of 23.78s. Her main rivals look set to be Maddie Pirie and the very talented Western Australian Brooke Pires-Parenzee (who ran her PB at the 2010 Australian All Schools with an 11.93s performance).

Women's Middle Distance

There are set to be many highlights from the women's middle distance events, which will be headed by the 'next big thing' on the track - Anna Laman. It will be interesting to see which events she decides to compete in (as she is entered in the 800m, 1500m and 3000m), but either way all eyes will be on the 16 year-old as she tries to reproduce her amazing domestic season in 2011. Back in March she ran an incredible 4.13.62 at the Sydney Track Classic over the 1500m. Unfortunately for Laman a sore throat conspired against her in Lille at the World Youth Championships, leading to an 11th placing in the final (4.21.06).

Up against Laman will be the likes of Katelyn Simpson (800m and 1500m), Rochelle Kennedy (800m and 1500m) and Jenny Blundell (1500m). All three athletes are all quality athletes, with Simpson leading home Laman in Lille (finishing one place ahead of her in 4.20.75). Simpson has already run a 4.21.94 a lead up race and looks primed to produce a new PB. Blundell has also produced solid early season form with a 2.09.05 800m in early November.

Women's 400m Hurdles

If early season form suggest anything it's the fact that Sarah Carli is in the form that took her to a sensational PB at the World Youth Championships of 58.05s in the 400m hurdles. Her 59.31s performance in Canberra recently saw her defeat her main competition at this years All Schools, Tessa Consedine, who ran a new PB of 59.70s. Both athletes are set to push each other for the win, although Sara Klein (60.67s) will also put herself in the mix for a medal.

Women's Field Events

The field events will also be hotly contested, with Monique Cilione leading the way in the women's javelin. Her bronze medal from Lille came off the back of a big PB of 52.77m, a distance she would again be looking at closing in on in Brisbane.

Other top athletes to keep an eye out for in the field will be:

Kaitlin Morgan - women's high jump. Has already cleared 1.80m in early season action and owns a PB of 1.86m. Comes up against another talented jumper in Emily Crutcher (PB - 1.84m in 2010).

Paris McCathrion - women's pole vault. Placed 9th in Lille and is a very consistent vaulter at around 3.80m-3.90m. Looks set to give 4.00m a scare over the coming months. Also watch out for two other vaulters who will be competing in the U/16 competition - Madeleine Lawson (3.75m) and 14 year-old Nina Kennedy (3.75m). Kennedy has cleared 3.70m on two occasions in early season action and is set for bigger and better things over the coming years.

Filoi Aokuso and Keshia McGrath-Volau - women's discus throw. Both represented Australia at the World Youth Championships and both hold PB's of over 50m. They have both set up a healthy rivalry over the past couple of years and will go head to head again for the All Schools title.

Danielle McConnell - women's hammer throw. Has produced record performances for many years in Tasmania, and is the clear favourite for gold in Brisbane. McConnell's PB of 58.09m is just under 5m clear of her nearest rival.