05.12.2009
Stratton and Hough step up in Hobart
Victorian
Brooke Stratton and New South Wales
athlete
Nicholas Hough have been the brightest
stars on day two of the 2009 UTAS Australian All Schools and Youth
Championships, taking home multiple medals at the Hobart
meet.
After qualifying fastest in the heats for the boys under 18 110m
hurdles yesterday, Hough went on to win the event today in 13:72,
just one tenth of a second outside the meet record.
Continuing his medal spree, Hough and his New South Wales teammates
took silver in the boys under 18 4x100m behind team Victoria.
Hough will now look ahead to the Australian junior championships in
Sydney in March with the hope of qualifying for next year's
inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.
“I just wanted a PB so it was great to get that and the gold
medal,” he said.
“You never really know with a relay but the boys were in form today
so to take silver was great too.
“I’ve got state and national championships coming up and I’m hoping
to qualify for the Youth Olympics in Singapore so we’ll see how we
go.”
In an equally brilliant day, Stratton leapt 6.02m in the girls
under 17 long jump after running a new meet record of 27:27 in the
girls under 17 200m hurdles to win both events in strong
company.
Victorian
Joel Bee qualified fastest for the boys
under 18 400m in a time of 48:92 ahead of teammate
Kevin
Rassool (49:55) and Western Australian representative
Keron Russell (49:47).
Rassool’s heat was not without drama however, as he fell on the
approach to the finish line to just secure second place and
automatic qualification for the final ahead of
Sam
Martyn from New South Wales by 0.03 of a second.
NSW’s
Chloe Jamieson qualified fastest for the
girls under 16 90m hurdles in a time of 12:95 and set a new meet
record, winning the girls under 16 200m hurdles in a time of
27:25.
Although just shy of his personal best,
Brodie
Cross cleared 4.50m to take gold in the boys under 16 pole
vault ahead of fellow Victorian
Jack Ingram.
Cross’ victory comes ahead of further competition in the boys under
18 pole vault tomorrow where he will compete above his age group
confidently on the back of today’s result.
Cross’ coach
Mark Stewart has high expectations of
his charge: “he jumped well today in tricky conditions and if he
can come out with that tomorrow he will be hard to beat. He’s a
great competitor and his technique is developing
beautifully.”
After five consecutive personal best jumps, Queenslander
Chantelle McGoldrick was crowned the under 16
girls pole vault champion.
“I just wanted to jump a new personal best of 3.30m so it was
pretty good,” she said.
“I train at the Gold Coast Victory and there a few of us up there
so it’s really good for the team."
Host state Tasmania tasted gold in the girls under 15 high jump.
Pre-event favourite
Kaitlin Morgan leapt 1.75m to
take the title ahead of Queenslander
Ellen
Pukallus and
Josie Nichol of NSW.
Late in the day another strong local performance came in the boys
under 15 3000m. In an outstanding run, Jacob Birtwhistle ran away
in the last 400m to an impressive victory in a time of 9:08.60.
Reminiscent of a young
Craig
Mottram, Birtwhistle is also a triathlete but
after adding the 3000m title to yesterday’s steeplechase victory,
seems destined for a strong athletics future.
“I felt better than I thought I would. I felt pretty sore this
morning after the steeple yesterday but as soon as the gun went off
I just felt really quick,” Birtwhistle said of his race.
The 14-year-old has a big program at this week's meet,
concluding with the under 15 boys 1500m tomorrow.
“I’ve got the 1500m tomorrow but I don’t know how I’ll go, I think
I’ll be pretty tired so I’ll give it my best shot and see how I go.
Dylan Nankiville from Queensland runs a pretty
quick time, I think he’ll be hard to beat," he said.
Off the track, the fastest Australian 100m runner in history
Patrick Johnson and fellow Australian Flame,
4x400m bronze medallist
Tristan Thomas signed
autographs and mingled with competitors to promote the national
junior championships in Sydney next year.
Thomas arrived at the track a day late after gallantly offering up
his seat to help a group of athletes get to Hobart in time for
their events at the championships. One of these athletes,
Melissa-Maree Farrington, was today victorious in
the under 15 200m hurdles and was, ironically, presented her medal
by the smiling world championships bronze medallist.
Tara Whitehead will feature in the girls'
under 18 long jump as part of tomorrow’s events together with world
youth championships representative
Jordan
Williamsz in the boys' under 18 800m.
A full list of results from day two of the UTAS Australian All
Schools and Youth Athletics Championships is available
here.