09.07.2009

Aussie flag flies high in Bressanone

All six Australians in action in this morning’s session of the world youth championships have successfully advanced through the qualifying rounds to ensure the Aussie flag will be flying high in Bressanone in coming days.

Athletes were again treated to perfect conditions in the northern Italian town on day two of the 6th IAAF world youth championships.

800m runner Bronte Gange was the first Australian to hit the track, storming home in the final lap to cross the line in second place and gain automatic qualification for tomorrow’s semi-finals.

“It was a good race, it was harder than I thought but I didn’t want to let it slip out of my grasp, I’ve come all this way,” she said.

“I had no idea what to expect, I just wanted to race with the girls here, I didn’t know what they’d be like, I didn’t look at the rankings, I just entered it like any other race.”

Sitting back in the field in the opening lap, Gange turned on the burners as she headed for home to complete the two-lap event in 2:10.10.

The Victorian will enter tomorrow’s semi-final as seventeenth fastest qualifier behind Cuban leader Rose Mary Almanza and look to go near the career best mark of 2:07.38 she recorded in Melbourne in March to move through to Sunday’s final. 

“I’m definitely going to have to run a PB but I felt really good today, I felt really good warming up before the race and I was really pumped up so I think I can do it.”

New South Wales pair Cameron Hyde and Mitchell Tysoe advanced to the semi-finals of the 110m hurdles, Hyde moving through in heat one and Tysoe claiming line honours in heat five to gain an automatic start.

Hyde crossed the line in a season best time of 13.87 (w: 0.5), the second-fastest run of his career and just .06 shy of his personal best.

“It was a good race I smashed the hurdles but I should make the semi-final easy with that so I’m pretty happy,” he said.

Placing fourth in a quick heat, Hyde was edged out of automatic qualification by three athletes posting personal best times.

“They all ran PB’s and I almost ran mine but they were amazing, it was so fast.

“It was a season best and the second quickest I’ve ever run so I’m happy with that.

“I had a bit of a bad preparation, I left my spikes at the tent and I was a bit clumsy but I’m sure that will all be better in the semi’s.”

Hyde advances to the semi-finals as fourteenth fastest of the 24 starters and expects the heat to be turned up tomorrow afternoon.

“It’s going to take a PB I’d say, I was hoping for about 13.6 today but I’m happy with that run and why wouldn’t you be happy with that, it’s a season best.”

Tysoe withstood the disqualification of one of the hot favourites in the 110m hurdles at the start of his heat to storm home in a season best time of 13.65.

“It’s the second best time I’ve ever done so I’m so happy with that and there’s room to improve as well,” Tysoe said.

“I’m stoked, the disqualification was one of the quickest guys here so that made me feel a bit relieved. I thought I broke first but (the officials) didn’t call me and then with the next one it just puts you under so much pressure but I kept my cool and had a good race.”

Tysoe, who moves through to the semi-finals as eighth fastest starter, will be looking to run close to his personal best time of 13.62 when the gun goes off tomorrow afternoon.

“I’m probably going to need to run a PB but if I can improve on a few little things I think I’ll get there,” he said.

In the 1500m, Kane Grimster and James Connor turned on two gutsy performances to move through to Sunday’s final.

Running in the first of two heats, Grimster took it right up to the field, taking the lead with just under two laps to go.

Caught at the 400m mark by Kenyan Gideon Kiage Mageka, Grimster dropped to fifth in the field down the back straight on a hot last lap, holding on to cross the line in 3:50.48 and advance to the final as seventh quickest qualifier.

“I had a hard heat, I had four Africans with faster times than me so I thought I’d just try to win the race and I thought that was the best option at the time and I was able to get through non-automatically to the final so that’s pretty exciting,” he said.

“The plan was just to try to win the race and I knew if I did that I’d either get through automatically or get through on my time.

“It’s a quality field, you don’t get the stragglers like you have at a normal meet, everyone’s good and it was a bit nerve-wracking but in the end I knew I was ready to go.”

Grimster will again be looking to take it right up to the field when the decided gets under way on Sunday afternoon.

“I’ll just get out there like today and hopefully run fast and I’ll be happy if I know I’ve run well, that’s all that I can do.”

Leaving nothing to chance in heat two, James Connor ran a spirited race to claim fourth place and gain automatic entry to the final.

His time of 3:52.61 sees him into the decider in ninth position.

“I was pretty happy with it, there was really no rhythm to the race but I did what I had to do to get through to the final so I’m happy,” Connor said.

“The race measured up to everything I wanted it to be except for the rhythm, I thought there’d be a real rhythm because of the Africans running the pace out and trying to make the final but they were really stop, go, stop, go and the Europeans were really pushy, I got spiked in my leg but it was a bit of fun.”

Connor will take the lessons learned in today’s heat with him through to Sunday’s final, where he will join Grimster in pursuit of success on the world stage.

“I think I’ll probably sit out wide in about lane two out the back of the pack so I miss nothing and then kick through and hopefully I place well,” Connor said.

“Sunday should be good, Kane and I both ran pretty well, Kane did really well to qualify as a non-automatic and ran strong.

“All it’s going to take now is heart, stamina and a good kick.”

Connor said the knowledge he could match it with the world’s best was a huge boost to his running career.

“This meet’s kind of the start to how much more I’ve got to do to be the best and if you want to be the best you’ve got to run in these races, there’s no easy way about it, you’ve just got to train hard at home and mix it with them,” he said.

Rounding out a successful morning for Australia’s world youth team, Huw Peacock moved through to the hammer throw final with a qualifying effort of 66.71m.

Fouling his first throw, Peacock went on to record distances of 66.14m and 66.71m to advance.

“I was really nervous to start with but I came through in the end so I’m pretty happy,” he said.

“I knew what I had to do to get through to the next stage, I knew the nerves would always bet there but I knew from the Commonwealth Youth Games in India that I could lift.

“It was about what I thought would happen, a pretty reasonable standard and hopefully tomorrow I can get out a big one and finish top eight.”

The Tasmanian said the efforts of fellow thrower Liam Speers in finishing eighth in yesterday’s discus final had inspired him to perform in his own event.

“That pumped me up, I was so happy for him, it’s really inspired me,” Peacock said.

“I’m definitely hoping for over 70m and maybe to pull out a 72m or 73m if I’m lucky, that would be awesome.”

In action in Bressanone this afternoon are Alexander Rowe and Jordan Williamsz in the semi-finals of the 800m, Andrew Neville in the qualifying round of the high jump and Alex Beck in the semi-finals of the 400m.

For all results from day two, click here.