31.08.2009

Aussies in action in Gateshead, Zagreb

Nine Australians, including six world championships representatives, will tonight return to the international stage as the World Athletics Tour heads to Gateshead (GBR) and Zagreb (CRO).

Lining up at the British Grand Prix in Gateshead are Sean Wroe (200m), Ryan Gregson and Mitchell Kealey (1500m), Fabrice Lapierre (long jump) and Kimberley Mickle (javelin throw).
 
One-lap specialist Sean Wroe arrives in Gateshead all set to take on the shorter distance following a huge few weeks for the Victorian sprinter.

Wroe backed up his semi-finals appearance in the 400m in Berlin with bronze on the final day of competition in the 4x400m relay, returning to the track just days later to place eighth over 400m in the penultimate Golden League meet of the season in Zurich.

He will be joined at tonight’s meet by emerging star Ryan Gregson in the 1500m, who earlier this month placed 34th overall on debut at the world championships.

Stopping the clock at 3:44.79 in Berlin, Gregson will be hoping to edge closer to the personal best time of 3:37.24 he set in Sydney in February.

Fellow young gun Mitchell Kealey will also be in action, the Aussie duo to meet Kenyan duo Gideon Gathimba and Bethwell Birgen and recent world championships finalist Leonel Manzano (USA) at the start line. 

Following his fourth placing in the final of the men’s long jump in Berlin, New South Wales sensation Fabrice Lapierre tonight joins a quality field at Gateshead.

Lapierre will meet reigning world title-holder Dwight Phillips (USA) and fellow world championships finalists Greg Rutherford (GBR), Salim Sdiri (FRA) and Christopher Tomlinson (GBR) in the field, where he will no doubt be looking to continue an impressive European season that has seen wins in the Athens and Madrid Grands Prix.

Javelin thrower Kimberley Mickle rounds out the Australian presence in Gateshead, the Western Australian also enjoying a hugely successful European season that was unfortunately derailed in Berlin, where the 24-year-old was unlucky not to move through the qualifying rounds.

Click here for official results from the British Grand Prix

Meanwhile in Zagreb, Collis Birmingham and Nick Bromley will take on the 1500m, Henry Frayne will line up in the long jump and Madeleine Pape will fly the flag for the Aussie women in the 800m.

Birmingham enters the race on the back of a huge world championships campaign that saw the Victorian distance star and national 10,000m record-holder take on both the 5000m and 10,000m events.

Placing 16th over the 5000m (13:55.58) and withdrawing at the 8000m-mark of the 10,000m event, Birmingham will tonight take on countryman Nick Bromley and world championships 1500m finalists Lopez Lomong (USA) and Belal Mansoor Ali (BRN).

In the long jump pit Henry Frayne takes on Berlin finalist Yahya Berrabah (MAR) and a host of international contenders.

Flame athlete Madeleine Pape, who clocked 2:05.85 in her heat to place 31st in Berlin, meets world championships silver medallist Janet Jepkosgei Busienei (KEN) and fellow finalist Mayte Martinez (ESP).

Click here for official results from the Zagreb Grand Prix