15.06.2009

Weekend wrap: Roff moves to sixth on Australian all-time list in Berlin

New South Wales athlete Jeremy Roff has moved to sixth position on the Australian 1500m all-time list with an impressive 3.34.39 run at the opening leg of the IAAF Golden League in Berlin overnight.

Having already secured his position on the Australian team to contest the World Championships in August, Roff's performance slashed more than three seconds off his personal best set at the Sydney Track Classic earlier this year.

Roff trailed the leaders early and in fact was last of all after only a few hundred metres thanks to the fast pace intended for Commonwealth Games 5000m champion Augustine Choge's attempt to break 3min 30sec.

With one lap remaining and around 20 metres behind the leader, to the casual observer it looked like Roff had nothing left in the tank. However, the field strung out in a single line told the true story... the pace was ferocious and Roff was having the race of his life. Choge hit the line in 3.29.47 (13th all-time) and pulled six of the next eight runners including Roff, who finished eighth, to huge personal bests.

Roff's time moved him past several of our best ever milers on the Australian all-time list, including rival Jeff Riseley, Pat Scammell, and the greatest of them all, Herb Elliott.

2009 Australian long jump champion Fabrice Lapierre said before the meet that he wanted to get a good jump out early in the competition, but jumps of 7.47m and 7.56m had him in ninth place and the wrong side of qualifying for another three jumps.

However, the tenacious Lapierre, perhaps inspired by the frenzied crowd supporting German high jumper Ariane Friedrich (who went on to leap a German record 2.06m), launched out to a credible 7.94m and into seventh place in the 3rd round, good enough for a further three attempts.

Known for producing big jumps when needed most, Lapierre leapt 8.04m on his last attempt to move into fourth place and a satisfying result in his first jump of the European season. Lapierre will compete next on Wednesday  (June 17) at the Golden Spike Grand Prix meet in Ostrava.

2006 Commonwealth Games champion John Steffenson was entered to run the 400m but did not take his place on the start line.

Further reports and results...

Stewart and Bailey keep 'Jamaica' at the top of sprinting events in Berlin

Friedrich Fireworks! 2.06m leap in Berlin

DKB-ISTAF Berlin Golden League results

IAAF Golden League jackpot contenders

PB's for McLellan and Pape on the Gold Coast

Olympic silver medallist Sally McLellan continued her promising early season form at the winter series meet on the Gold Coast on Sunday afternoon, taking out the sprint double ahead of Canberra sprint queen Melissa Breen.

Sporting a new Olympic rings tattoo on her lower back and a matching shimmering golden ring depicting the Olympic emblem, McLellan sliced three tenths of a second off her previous 200m personal best, the 22-year-old defeating her younger counterpart 23.02 (-0.4) to 23.60.

Although not overly happy with her time, McLellan won the 100m comfortably in 11.43 (-1.1), three tenths of a second ahead of Breen.

McLellan will be back in action at Griffith University in a double-header this weekend where she will compete in her signature 100m hurdles, the 100m and 200m, before journeying to Europe on July 1.

In other major results:

Queenslander Mitchell Watt cleared eight metres for the sixth time in his career, leaping 8.10m in the long jump, defeating training partner Chris Noffke with 7.96m.

Despite a dodgy sixth hurdle, AIS athlete Tristan Thomas recorded a quality 49.38 in the 400m hurdles.

Victorian Madeleine Pape sliced four tenths of a second off her previous 400m best, posting 52.68, in a promising sign for Australia's chances in the 4x400m relay at the world championships.

Joel Milburn had his first competitive hit out since the nationals, clocking 46.68 over the one lap.

Alana Boyd had three opening attempts at 4.40m, but unfortunately could not clear the height.

Justin Anzelark heaved the shot put 19.45m in his first competitive hit out since the Australian summer

Boden wins athlete of the meet at Namur

World University Games representative Lauren Boden had a commanding win in the women's 400m hurdles at the EAP meet in Namur, Belgium on Saturday. Her time of 56.59s, was her third fastest ever and a new meet record.

"It was a much cleaner race than Geneva last week," said Boden who also won 1000 Euros for being named Athlete of the Meet.

"I still think I need one more competition to get race fit but I am really happy where I am at the moment."

Boden's training partner and touring companion Brendan Cole won the men's 400m hurdles race in 50.23 for a solid performance and his second win this European campaign.

Boden and Cole head to Celle Ligure, Italy on June 23 for the next meet in the EAP series.

A qualifier for Harradine, B qualifier for Martin

After a string of B qualifiers over the last couple of months, Victorian discus thrower Benn Harradine has broken through to record an 'A' qualifier for the world championships, with a 64.97m winning effort in Lugano, Switzerland on Friday night.

In Leiden, Netherland on Saturday, Scott Martin heaved the shot put 20.01m to record his second B qualifier for the season.

Australian athletes in action this week

Golden Spike Grand Prix, Ostrava, Czech Republic- Wednesday, 17 June
Youcef Abdi (3000m steeplechase), Collis Birmingham (1500m), Ryan Gregson (1500m), Fabrice Lapierre (long jump), Jeff Riseley (1500m)

IAAF Race Walking Challenge, La Coruna, Spain - Saturday, 20 June
Luke Adams (20km), Tom Barnes (20km), Chris Erickson (20km), Claire Tallent (20km), Jared Tallent (20km)

Winter Series, Gold Coast - Saturday, 20 & Sunday 21 June
Sally McLellan (100m H, 100m 200m), Alwyn Jones (triple jump), Tristan Thomas (400m), Madeleine Pape (800m), Justin Merlino (110m H), Ellen Pettitt (high jump)

AIS, Canberra - Sunday, 21 June
Melissa Breen (100m)

Pat Birgan and Michelle Cook