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Javelin gold sparks medal rush for Aussie girls
St Albans Park javelin thrower Bianca Maurer received a delayed eighteenth birthday present in the form of Australia’s first gold medal at the III Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India overnight.
Maurer who passed her milestone birthday ten days earlier, produced a big personal best of 49.87m to take victory and led a mini medal charge by the Aussie track and field girls. In all they collected four medals on the day.
Virtually nothing separated Australia’s two representatives in the girls’ 100 metres, Elly Graf and Lauren O’Sullivan, all day, as they recorded similar times in their heats and semis. And the final was no different as they reached the line almost together to grab silver (Graf-11.80) and bronze (O’Sullivan-11.81) behind the powerful English girl, Shaunna Thompson.
The Aussies’ fourth athletics medal – a bronze was won by Perth girl, Brianna Beahan, who nearly put herself out of contention completely in the heats, when she clipped a hurdle and lost balance. But to her credit, she kept her composure and finished the race safely, enabling her to challenge in the final which turned out to be a more orderly affair for her, as shown by the excellent time of 14.08 for the 16-year-old.
In other athletics results, Ray Williams made it through to the boys’ final in the 100 metres, a cautious start after breaking at the first attempt possibly costing him a higher placing than sixth. His semi final time of 10.59 showed the promise of what might be to come in the future.
Matt Cowie (4th in the shot), Amanda Bartrim and Ellen Pearce (4th and 5th in the pole vault), Josh Lumley (5th in the triple jump) and Matt Stopel (5th in the hammer with a personal best of 60.57m) were just outside the medals, whilst the youngest male on the athletics team, Huw Peacock impressed on his international debut, also PB’ing in the hammer, throwing 57.50m, with the 6kg implement.
Todd Wakefield and Linden Hall both progressed to their 1500m finals, whilst Tom Brennan is through in the boys high jump. Both Aussie 4x100m teams were impressive and will surely contend for the medals, possibly even gold, in their finals.
Nick Frost and Zoe Riikonen both qualified for their respective 400m finals, Frost’s momentary lapse on the finishing line costing him a middle lane in Wednesday’s medal race.
Courtesy of Brian Roe in Pune
Results and further information can be found at www.commonwealthyouthgames.com.au and www.cygpune2008.com
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