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Samuels looks to go one better in '09
Australians should be right in the thick of it when the medals are handed out at the World University Games if the first day of competition is an indication of things to come.
New South Wales thrower Dani Samuels opened the meet for the Australian team with a throw of 57.35m to lead her qualifying group of the women's discus. Samuels, the three-time Australian champion with a personal best of 62.95m, is a great chance to go one better than 2007, when she finished second.
Defending 400m champion Sean Wroe has entered the 100m and 200m at these championships to improve his speed as he prepares for the 400m at the world championships in Berlin. In the men's 100m heats, Wroe was not far outside his personal best, running 10.53 to qualify eighth fastest for round two.
Triple jump duo Henry Frayne and Alwyn Jones who provided such exciting competitions during the domestic season both qualified for the triple jump final to be held on day three.
Frayne, already the Australian junior record holder, jumped a personal best and improved his record to 16.62m (+1.5) on his first jump of the qualifying round. Jones, meanwhile, took all three attempts and just fell short of the automatic qualifier with his 16.42m (-1.0) but it was still enough to make it through to the final.
Chris Troode and Clay Watkins easily qualified for the second round of the men's 400m. Watkins was second in his heat with 46.56 and Troode comfortably won his heat in 48.08.
Canberra's Melissa Breen was the third fastest qualifier for the women's 100m, winning her heat with ease in 11.53 (+0.9). Jody Henry also made it through with her 11.87 (-1.7).
Dale Stevenson threw 17.81m in the men's shot put but it was not enough to advance to the final.
Canberra's Lauren Boden ran her fourth-best time ever (56.76s) to come second in her heat and automatically qualify for the final as the third fastest.
In the evening session, Madeleine Pape looked comfortable running 2.06.03 in the heats of the women's 800m and should feature prominently in the final.
"I was feeling pretty good actually on that second lap and had a lot left in the tank," she said.
Pape ran 2.00.70 in Madrid last week to show preparations are going well for the Berlin championships, where she has been named in the team as part of the 4x400m but wants to ensure selection in the 800m by running the A-standard (2.00.00s).
"I'm really hoping to run sub-two here and put my name forward for certain selection for world champs."
Sean Wroe's time of 10.55s in the second round which was enough to qualify for the semi-finals, but a sub-10.50 time still eludes him.
"I've been hovering around this 10.5 mark forever," said Wroe, whose focus for this meet remains on increasing his speed for his pet event, the 400m.
"I didn't really execute well but it's good preparation. It's the first time I have had to run in the morning and back up in the evening."
Jacinta Boyd jumped 6.25m (-0.4) on her second attempt to automatically qualify for a final that looks to be one of high quality, with 6.51m being the leading jump in qualifying.
"Depth-wise this looks like one the strongest World University Games women's long jump for some time," commented AIS track and field and Australian team coach Craig Hilliard, watching on from the stands on a humid evening in the Serbian capital.
Queenslander Liam Zamel-Paez and seven other competitors were over 2.20m in the men's high jump qualifying and will fight it out the final on Thursday.
Teenage sensation Ryan Gregson won his heat of the men's 1500m and is through to the next round with an easy-looking 3:47.83.
Laura Cornford threw a season's best 56.38m in the women's javelin qualifying and will go into the final with the sixth best throw of the afternoon.
Featuring on day two will be Dani Samuels in the women's discus final, Jacinta Boyd in the women's long jump and the finals of the 100m.
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