09.02.2007

Martin and MacFarlane star in Hobart

A massive last throw in the shot put by the big man Scott Martin (VIS) brought tonight’s Tasmania’s Forest Industries Graeme Briggs Memorial Athletics Classic in Hobart to a wonderful crescendo.

The 20.42m put was a personal best, a world championships A qualifying performance and eclipsed the very respectable meet record set in 2000 by Justin Anlezark by more than a metre.

The enthusiastic crowd perched on top of the Queen’s Domain at the picturesque Hobart track, had earlier been thrilled to witness another world A qualifier, this time to the local heroine, Donna MacFarlane, who ran her third fastest time ever of 9:34.71 in the 3000 metres steeplechase. 

The Commonwealth Games bronze medalist who lives in Hobart and trains on the track, was in charge from the gun, and was most impressive in producing a world class time in what was very much a solo effort. 

For Martin, it was a great comeback on the night after earlier experiencing a rare domestic defeat in the discus, courtesy of the growing talent of Benn Harradine. Martin’s fellow VIS scholarship holder launched the 2kg platter to a meet record of 62.21m and equally importantly 95 centimetres further than the Commonwealth champ’s best on the night. 

The former New South Welshman was tantalisingly close to a world champs B qualifier, which is set at 62.50m. And not to be outdone - both local number one, Graham Hicks (TIS) with a best of 60.01m and Aaron Neighbour at 59.37m both also picked up $250 meet performance bonuses for clearing the yellow sector arc set at 59 metres. 

Neighbour’s sister, Gabrielle, won the hammer throw with a best effort of 57.38m.

On the track the breakthrough performances came from young Victorians Jeff Riseley in the 800 metres and Collis Birmingham over 5000m. 

Riseley waited patiently in the fastest-run two-lap race of the season to date, before taking the lead into the straight and then striding impressively away from national champion Nick Bromley to win in 1:48.31. It was a personal best by over half a second and surely a portent of things to come.

Birmingham took four seconds off his previous best to win a quality 5000 metres in 13:34.22, just slightly outside the world championships B qualifier, which will be his season target - one that he could well achieve at the Telstra A-Series (World Athletics Tour) meet in Melbourne on 2 March. 

Steeplechaser Marty Dent ran a more than useful second in a PB of 13:46.87.

Both benefited from an excellent pace to 3000 metres set by Paul Hoffman (NSW) who had earlier won a hotly contested men’s 1500 metres in a meet record of 3:41.74 from Irish visitor David Campbell who clipped five seconds off his former best in finishing just .07 of a second adrift. 

Tamsyn Lewis turned the tables on Lisa Corrigan to win the women’s 800 metres in 2:02.90. After the young ACT star had claimed victory in both Sydney and Canberra recently, it was the established athlete’s turn tonight – finding the strength when it counted in the home straight to withstand Corrigan’s now trademark finishing burst.

But the margin was still only a single tenth of a second, indicating that some more great racing between these two is still on the cards. 

Another Commonwealth bronze medallist on show, Alwyn Jones (SASI), was in complete command in the triple jump winning with a best of 16.43m (+0.1 wind), and a margin of 37 cm over fellow Games team member, Michael Perry.

Victorian Emma Knight picked up the women’s triple, which incorporated the Australian under 23 championship with a leading jump of 12.77m (+1.5). 

In the sprints, Lauren Hewitt on the comeback trail from injury and Stawell Gift winner Adrian Mott both scored doubles, in times that indicated that some quicker runs will not be far around the corner.

Brendan Cole (ACT) won his 400 metres hurdles battle with Papua New Guinea’s Mowen Boino in 50.94 seconds, some stuttering steps at three hurdles almost certainly depriving him of a sub 50 second time.  

A perfect start for the host state and a series of fine performances in the throwing events highlighted day one of the Telstra Australian Under 20 and Under 23 Championships which preceded the Briggs Meeting.

Tasmanian’s Todd Hodgetts and Stuart Morse got the hosts on the medal tally first up, taking the gold and bronze medals in the men’s under 20 hammer throw competition. 

An excited Hodgetts who hails from the Newstead Club in Launceston, threw a massive personal best with the 6kg implement of 55.60m, to beat New South Welshman Emanuele Fuamatu by nearly four metres. Morse was third with a two metre personal best of 47.17m.

Dani Samuels (NSWIS) showed very clearly why she is the world junior champion in the discus with an emphatic win in the under 20 competition. Her best of 58.48 in round six, resurrected what had previously been an ordinary competition by her standards having only thrown a best of 50.63m in earlier attempts.  

Youngster, Kimberley Mulhall (Vic), niece of Olympic shot put medallist Gael Martin (nee Mulhall), was second with 48.98m.

Brittany Pettitt (WAIS), followed in the footsteps of her older sister Ellen, by winning the under 20 high jump with a height of 1.80m. 

On the track, the most impressive performance came from the rapidly developing Justin Merlino (NSWIS) who won the under 23 110m hurdles in a slightly wind assisted (+2.5) time of 13.85 secs.

The Championships continue at the Domain on Saturday and Sunday.  

Results

Tasmania's Forest Industries - 9/02/2007
Graeme Briggs Memorial Athletics Classic
Domain Athletic Centre, Hobart

Men Discus Throw (2kg)
 1, Benn Harradine, Vis, 62.21m. 2, Scott Martin, Vis, 61.26m. 3, Graham Hicks,
 Tasmanian Instit, 60.01m. 4, Aaron Neighbour, Victoria, 59.37m. 5, Tim
 Driesen, Australian Insti, 54.87m. 6, Dale Stevenson, Victoria, 49.21m. 7,
 Andrew Welch, Queensland, 47.94m.
 
Men Triple Jump
 1, Alwyn Jones, Sasi, 16.43m, w:0.1. 2, Michael Perry, Queensland, 16.06m,
 w:0.7. 3, Alex Stewart, Nsw, 15.30m, w:0.5. 4, Adam Rabone, Victoria, 15.06m,
 w:2.1. 5, Henry Frayne, South Australia, 14.82m, w:1.4. 6, Ben King, Victoria,
 14.52m, w:0.4. 7, Aidan Mol, South Australia, 14.34m, w:1.3. 8, Mark Lawrence,
 Queensland, 13.97m, w:0.6.
 
Girls Under 13 4x100 Metres Relay
 1, Clarence Little Aths 'A'! 56.54. 2, Kingborough Little Aths 'A' 56.94. 3,
 Queenborough Little Aths 'A' 57.18. 4, Hobart Districts Little Aths 'A' 59.87.
 5, East Derwent Little Aths 'A' 60.25. 6, Kingborough Little Aths 'B' 61.19.
 
Boys Under 13 4x100 Metres Relay
 1, Hobart Districts Little Aths 'A' 53.82. 2, Clarence Little Aths 'A' 56.25.
 3, East Derwent Little Aths 'A' 56.88. 4, Claremont Little Aths 'A' 57.56. 5,
 Kingborough Little Aths 'A' 58.30.

Women 200 Metres
 (w: +0.0) 1, Lauren Hewitt, Vis, 23.98. 2, Melissa Kay, North West, 24.03. 3,
 Morgan Whiley, North West, 24.48. 4, Olivia Scott, Queensland, 25.92. 5, Holly
 Baxter, Western Subs, 26.66. 6, Alisa Dalton, Ova, 26.80. 7, Clara Staples,
 Northern Subs, 27.53.
 
Men 200 Metres
 (w: 0.4) 1, Adrian Mott, Victoria, 21.69. 2, Luke Whitney, Hobart AC, 22.19.
 3, Tao Baker, North West! , 22.25. 4, Nick Ash, New Zealand, 22.31.
 
Women 100 Metres Hurdles
 (w: 1.5) 1, Jess Gulli, Victoria, 14.73. 2, Candice Morley, Nsw, 15.19. 3,
 Kimberley Robinson, Western Australi, 15.25. 4, Lucy Newton, Queensland,
 15.28. 5, Brittany Knee, Western Subs, 16.35.

Men 1500 Metres
 1, Paul Hoffman, Nsw, 3:41.74. 2, David Campbell, Ireland, 3:41.81. 3, Jeremy
 Roff, Nswis, 3:42.37. 4, Grant Page, Northern Subs, 3:44.32. 5, Brendan
 Woodman, Victoria, 3:55.22. 6, Xavier Chapman, Victoria, 3:56.57. 7, Troy
 Atkins, North West, 4:08.03. --, Richard Welsh, North West, DNF.

Women 800 Metres
 1, Tamsyn Lewis, Victoria, 2:02.90. 2, Lisa Corrigan, Australian Capit,
 2:03.00. 3, Lara Nicod, Nsw, 2:11.03. 4, Isabella Thomson, Sandy Bay, 2:25.92.
 5, Sarah Pinto, Victoria, 2:26.16. 6, Jessica Morey, Ova, 2:26.84. 7, Elyse
 Jenkins, Sandy Bay, 2:30.13. --, Morgan Whiley, North West, DNF.
Men 400 Metres H! urdles

 1, Brendan Cole, Australian Capit, 50.94. 2, Mowen Boino, Papua New Guinea,
 51.27. 3, Wala Gime, Papua New Guinea, 53.61. 4, Brett Dayman, Western
 Australi, 57.74. 5, Baden Wass, Eastern Subs, 58.96. 6, Aaron Humphrey,
 Eastern Subs, 62.18.
 
Women Hammer Throw (4kg)
 1, Gabrielle Neighbour, Victoria, 57.38m. 2, Natalie Prior, Nsw, 52.13m. 3,
 Ashleigh Mumberson, Nsw, 48.84m. 4, Natalie Debeljuh, Victoria, 47.49m. 5,
 Melissa Hilder, Nsw, 46.25m. 6, Anita Millington, North Launceston, 42.95m. 7,
 Rhiannon Maher, North West, 39.07m. 8, Nikki-Jo Mathers, Eastern Subs, 32.51m.

Women Triple Jump
 1, Emma Knight, Victoria, 12.77m, w:1.5. 2, Kiri Kendal, New Zealand, 12.28m,
 w:1.6. 3, Mikaela Read, Victoria, 11.24m, w:-0.6. 4, Lauren Free, Ova, 11.01m,
 w:0.9. 5, Brittany Knee, Western Subs, 10.55m, w:NWI.
 
Women! 3000 Metres Steeplechase
 1, Donna MacFarlane, Tasm! anian In stit, 9:34.71. 2, Sarah McSweeney, New
 Zealand, 10:27.33. 3, Sarah Grahame, Victoria, 10:27.78. 4, Libby Clarke,
 Newstead, 10:38.45. 5, Jessica Gilfillan, Queensland, 10:48.40. 6, Katie
 Jameson, Nsw, 11:39.14. 7, Elise Aplin, Victoria, 12:01.43. 8, Megan Brooks,
 South Australia, 12:30.51. 9, Michelle Delaney, Nsw, 12:42.79. 10, Jacinta
 Nash, Victoria, 12:54.06. --, Cassie Dege, Nsw, DQ.

Men 800 Metres
 1, Jeffrey Riseley, Victoria, 1:48.31. 2, Nick Bromley, Nswis, 1:49.25. 3,
 Mark Abercromby, Ova, 1:49.56. 4, Werner Botha, Nsw, 1:50.00. 5, Brad Woods,
 Nswis, 1:50.06. 6, Simon Fitzpatrick, Victoria, 1:50.31. --, Ryan Foster,
 Sandy Bay, DNF
.
Men Shot Put (7.26kg)
 1, Scott Martin, Vis, 20.42m. 2, Aaron Neighbour, Victoria, 16.61m. 3, Joe
 Stevens, Queensland, 16.01m. 4, Todd Hodgetts, Newstead, 15.35m. 5, Graham
 Hicks, T! asmanian Instit, 14.96m. 6, Hamish Peacock, Eastern Subs, 14.50m. 7,
 Huw Peacock, Eastern Subs, 11.29m.

Mixed 1 Mile Run Mile Handicap
 1, Kate Sutherland (0:0), Northern Subs, 6:03.20. 2, Jonathon Sansom Gower
 (1:33), Eastern Subs, 6:09.75. 3, Oscar Phillips (1:20), Newstead, 6:10.67. 4,
 Claudia Conley(0:21), Eastern Subs, 6:12.55. 5, Clive Reekie (1:18), Eastern
 Subs, 6:15.02. 6, Michael Sullivan (0:15), Sandy Bay, 6:15.55. 7, Cara Tilyard
 (0:23), Sandy Bay, 6:16.03. 8, Olivia Gillie (0:30), Sandy Bay, 6:16.06. 9,
 Phil McConnon (1:31), Northern Subs, 6:18.77. 10, William Yee (1:17), Tas
 Masters, 6:19.78. 11, Chris Sullivan (1:45), Sandy Bay, 6:20.83. 12, John Jago
 (1:43), Tas Masters, 6:22.31. 13, Ben Tilyard (1:15), Sandy Bay, 6:25.82. 14,
 Paul Luttrell (1:24), Northern Subs, 6:30.76. 15, Lewis Willing (1:27),
 Northern Subs, 6:32.31. 16! , Anthea Bennett(0:35), Sandy Bay, 6:33.10. 17,
 Tr! evor McK enna (1:37), Sandy Bay, 6:38.54.
 
Women 100 Metres
 (w: 0.4) 1, Lauren Hewitt, Vis, 11.78. 2, Melissa Kay, North West, 11.91. 3,
 Jacinta Boyd, Qas, 12.12. 4, Morgan Whiley, North West, 12.23. 5, Olivia
 Scott, Queensland, 12.62. 6, Alisa Dalton, Ova, 13.14. 7, Holly Baxter,
 Western Subs, 13.18.

Men 100 Metres
 (w: 0.9) 1, Adrian Mott, Victoria, 10.68. 2, Luke Whitney, Hobart AC, 11.13.
 3, Lane Harrison, Victoria, 11.15. 4, Tao Baker, North West, 11.30. 5, Aaron
 Griggs, Eastern Subs, 11.33. 6, Daniel Lemoto, Eastern Subs, 11.52.

Men 5000 Metres
 1, Collis Birmingham, Vis, 13:34.22. 2, Martin Dent, Act Academy, 13:46.87. 3,
 Jason Woolhouse, Victoria, 14:00.12. 4, Richard Jeremiah, Vis, 14:06.93. 5,
 Shane Nankervis, Victoria, 14:07.50. 6, Liam Adams, Victoria, 14:13.06. 7, Kim
 Gillard, Tas, 14:37.51. 8, Tim Page, Nsw, 14:37! .86. 9, Benjamin Toomey,
 Victoria, 14:37.88. 10, Russell Dessaix-Chin, Nsw, 14:49.85. 11, David Thomas,
 North Launceston, 15:03.13. 12, Sam Ferguson, North West, 15:09.18. 13, Aaron
 Patterson, Western Australi, 15:12.06. 14, Mark Jackson, Riverside AC,
 15:26.45. 15, Andrew Ferris, Queensland, 15:40.15. 16, Dane Verwey, Victoria,
 15:48.27. 17, Josh Harris, Tamar, 15:49.30. 18, Daniel Clarke, Sandy Bay,
 16:12.64. --, Paul Hoffman, Nsw, DNF.