14.12.2007

Birmingham takes 10

The ascension of Collis Birmingham continued at Thursday night’s Zatopek meet, claiming the men’s 10,000m championship in stunning fashion.

It was a race of three for most of it with Canberra athlete Martin Dent - the favourite on paper, Geelong’s Mark Tucker and Birmingham building a handsome lead over a talented field.

As Tucker faded, the contest see-sawed with Dent and Birmingham and the former looked comfortable leading into the final lap.

But it was there and then that Birmingham pounced, moving past Dent and turning his heels white hot in an emphatic final 400 metres.

For the Ballarat boy, who had never run 10,000m on a track and had suggested in the lead-up to the race that it could make or break his current aspirations over the distance, it was a moment to enjoy.

“I’m very happy,” Birmingham, who finished in 28.39.38, said. “I guess I came down here to have a win.

“I was training well, was doing a few ks up there (at Falls Creek) and I was confident I would come down here and race well. It’s always good to have a race off altitude and run well. I’m rapt it came off.”

For the meantime the 5000m remains the 22 year-old’s preferred event, especially with an Olympic Games looming.

“For the domestic season, I want to try and qualify for the 5k for the Olympics - that’s the main goal,” he said. “I’ll get a couple of opportunities, one in Hobart at the end of January and then the Melbourne Grand Prix here again.

“For the time being it’s the 5k but certainly the whole reason for running tonight was to test the water over 10k.”

Dent finished second ahead of New Zealand’s Rees Buck and New South Welshman Russell Dessaix-Chin.

Melinda Vernon (NSW) won the women’s 10,000m in 34.28.85, a world’s best result for a deaf athlete.

Other highlights included victories to Nick Bromley (3.42.18) and Georgie Clarke (4.16.88) over 1500m, while Tamsyn Lewis looked mighty impressive - and thrilled with her effort - winning the 400m in 52.16 from Jaimee-Lee Starr and Madeleine Pape.

Experienced campaigner Peter Nowill was a class above in winning the men’s 3000m steeplechase in 8.36.59 while an enthusiastic crowd celebrated victories for Ben Ashkettle (8.17.00) and Lara Tamsett (9.29.60) in their respective under-20 3000m challenges.

Following disappointment at the Ron Clarke Classic on December 2, Commonwealth Games representative Benn Harradine made amends in winning the discus throw with 61.66m.

To view the Athletics Victoria report, please click here