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National Update - Brisbane, Newcastle plus Vaulters Flying High in Perth
Although some may suggest that it has been a quiet start to the domestic season, there have been some very encouraging results from around Australia. The official Qantas AA Tour commences with the Adelaide Track Classic on the 28th of January, although we have already see AA Tour events in Brisbane and Newcastle.
We first take a look at some of the top performances from the Brisbane Track Classic on the 14th January:
Aaron Rouge-Serret A win for the recently turned 24 year-old Victorian in the 100m in 10.34s indicates a good upcoming domestic season. Fastest time for Rouge-Serret in the month of January, and is the equal 9th fastest time of his career behind a PB of 10.17s.
James Gurr Opens 2012 with his 6th fastest time of his career with quality win in 800m of 1.47.31. The 27 year-old still requires a big jump in performance to challenge the Olympic "A" qualifier of 1.45.60, but does look likely to again record a PB in 2012 - after producing a 1.46.52 PB in 2011 at the Melbourne Track Classic.
Henry Frayne Frayne finished off 2011 with an excellent 9th placing in the triple jump at the World Championships and everything looks to be in order in 2012. His win in Brisbane in the long jump with a 7.91m performance was nothing exceptional, but was around the mark expected by the 21 year-old triple jump star. It was actually just shy of his PB of 7.99m set back in 2009, and now we wait with high expectations of whether he can push for an Olympic "A" qualifier over the coming months of 17.20m in his favoured event.
Hamish Peacock - Javelin
Hamish Peacock The 21 year-old Tasmanian is an athlete to watch in the men's javelin, and again looked solid in winning in Brisbane with a SB of 77.34m. Just missed his PB of 77.58m and looks capable of bigger and better things in 2012, in an event that looks strong in Australia in 2012. Peacock previously picked up a silver medal at the 2007 World Youth Championships, and also placed 5th at the 2008 World Junior Championships.
Sally Pearson and Melissa Breen
Pearson equalled her best 100m performance for the month of January with her 11.25s win in Brisbane (also ran 11.25s in Canberra in 2007). It was the 11th time in her career that she's dipped under 11.30s for the 100m, and again shows just how close she is to breaking the world record in the 100m hurdles (currently at 12.21s). Her early season speed off a slightly disrupted lead in is very encouraging the for hurdles star, and maybe we can see a new Australian 100m record over the coming months (11.12s).
Breen also showed solid early season form with an 11.51s second placing to Pearson in Brisbane. Has already posted a sub 11.50s performance in 2012, and looks more comfortable after an up and down 2011 which ended in a SB of 11.40s - set in Japan in April.
Lauren Boden Expectations are high in 2012 for the 23 year-old from the ACT, and her 38.20s PB in the rarely run 300m in Brisbane was a nice start to the 2012 season. Finished 2011 with a new PB of 53.32s for the flat 400m, but couldn't improve on her 400m hurdles best of 55.25s (set back in Osaka in 2010). Requires a 55.40s to book a place on the plane to London, and will be looking for Jana Pitman to push her along over the domestic season - although Pitman has said that she will only run flat 400m's until she's 100% fit for the hurdles.
800m Winner in Brisbane - Kelly Hetherington
Kelly Hetherington We had a detailed profile of Hetherington leading into Brisbane and she certainly didn't disappoint. Her time of 2.02.48 smashed her previous PB of 2.02.89, and in the process clearly places her as the main danger for Tamsyn Manou as the no.1 Australian female 800m runner in 2012. Manou has stated that she will retire after the London Olympics, so to see Hetherington step up in the early part of 2012 is definitely a good sign for women's middle distance running in Australia.
Hunter Track Classic - 21st January 2012
There were two performances that really stood out from the Hunter Track Classic - both recorded in the 1500m. Zoe Buckman and Jordan Williamsz both proved that 2012 will again be big years for the up and coming middle distance stars, with Williamsz becoming the 53rd Australian to break the 3:40 mark in the men's 1500m. We again take a look at the top performers from Newcastle.
Is Zoe Buckman the current no.1 female
middle distance runner in Australia?
Zoe Buckman After a breakthrough year for Buckman in 2011 - where she won the Australian 1500m title and went onto record a PB of 4.05.06 (Rieti, Italy). Although she missed out on running for Australia at the 2011 World Championships, everything looks in place for the 23 year-old to line up in the heats of the 1500m of the London Olympics. Her win in Newcastle in 4.09.26 against the the likes of Georgie Clarke and rising middle distance runner Melissa Duncan, was the 7th time that she has broken 4.10.00 - with her PB prior to 2011 standing at 'only' 4.12.80. A move from the 800m to the 1500m has been a magical move - as she has now teamed up with Nic Bideau and is looking at becoming our no.1 women's middle distance star in Australia over the coming 12 months.
Jordan Williamsz Williamsz is following a similar path to Buckman, and is clearly an athlete to keep a close eye out for over the coming months leading into the Olympic trials in Melbourne in March. Although not favoured to win in Newcastle, Williamsz never looked like losing over the final 200m - sprinting past the likes of Brett Robinson and James Kaan to claim victory in 3.39.74. In Finland last year Williamsz set PB's of 1.47.34 for the 800m and 3.40.96 in the 1500m. That signalled a big move up the ranks within Australia, and with his first sub 3.40.00 under his belt he can now look forward to racing the likes of Ryan Gregson and Jeff Riseley - both training partners. Although we will have to wait, as Williamsz will miss the AA Adelaide Track Classic where Riseley and Gregson will go head to head for the first time in 2012.
Other Highlights from Newcastle
Other National Highlights
Alana Boyd looks set for another big year, with an excellent 4.55m pole vault in Perth on January 18th. She also hd three great attempts at 4.65m - which would have been a 5cm PB. At the same meeting in Perth 14 year-old Nina Kennedy recorded a very impressive 4.05m PB - which would have been a WJQ had she not been born in 1997!
Steve Hooker also looks to be in good shape after an injury plagued 2011, with a 5.10m SB off a short run up at the Perth meeting on Wednesday night. Hooker requires a vault of 5.72m to make it to London, and is hoping to produce the jump in Australia before moving onto Europe prior to the Olympics.
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