19.09.2009

One-all in Newcastle on day one of Great North City Games

Australia and England are locked at one-all after the first day of competition at the Great North City Games in Newcastle overnight, a day that saw Aussie skipper Scott Martin take out the shot put and the English pole vaulters prove too good for the Australian contenders.

With points scored for each event victory, national pride is on the line this weekend at the inaugural City Games, where 26 Australian athletes will take on the best of Britain across 11 track and field events on the streets of NewcastleGateshead.

Lining up in the head-to-head street match, Martin threw a massive 18.83m to claim victory and notch the first point on the board for Australia.

He was joined in the action on day one by fellow throws specialist and 2009 World University Games representative Dale Stevenson, who recorded a personal best 18.66m to finish second.

After fouling his opening shot, Martin posted a second round distance of 17.76m before his winning 18.83m heave in Round 3. The world championships representative, who placed 25th in Berlin, withdrew from competition two rounds later to avoid further aggravating a torn bicep muscle sustained earlier this month.

The response from the team captain was mixed.

“The win was great but the distance wasn’t great and I got an injury out of it so it’s mixed emotions. I came over here to win and I won so that’s good,” he said.

“I warmed up pretty well and it just didn’t come together for me. It did for Dale though; he’s come a long way in a short time since he joined our squad. He’s improved about two metres. He’ll throw 19m or 19.50m, maybe 20m this year so that’s the good story of the day.” 

Also fouling his first two attempts, Stevenson went on to record 17.21m in Round 3 then posted a career best 18.66m the following round, 80cm ahead of his previous best effort of 17.86m at the Sydney Track Classic in February this year and his first time over the 18m-mark.

“I knew I was in pretty good shape for this coming back from World Unis,” 21-year-old Stevenson said.

“I put my head down and trained really hard and had the best five or six weeks of training that I’ve had in the last three or four years. I feel like I’ve got bigger distances in me still. Today was a great experience but I’m looking forward to getting back and doing another block and getting ready for the Australian summer.”

England was represented in the event by Jamie Williamson and Carl Fletcher, who took silver and gold respectively at the most recent Northern Athletics Championships.

Williamson recorded a best throw of 17.28m and Fletcher a heave of 16.65m to place third and fourth in the event behind the two Australians.

Earlier in the day in the first event of the Games, Victorians Joel Pocklington and James Filshie lined up in the men’s pole vault against English representatives Christian North and Steve Lewis, who placed seventh at last month’s world championships in Berlin.

Pocklington, 12th at the World University Games in July, recorded a best height of 5.00m to place second in the event, while Filshie, on the comeback trail from a serious shoulder injury, was unable to move beyond his opening round clearance of 4.60m and finished fourth.

Pocklington was pleased with his performance.

“I’m happy with second place behind Lewis, he’s a fantastic athlete, he’s the bronze medallist at the Commonwealth Games and has a 5.75m PB so he’s done heaps,” he said.

“It was a fantastic opportunity (to compete), we had a pretty short lead-up but our last few training sessions went well and I felt really good out there, I just didn’t quite get the last height.”

Securing the points for England was Lewis, his effort of 5.45m enough to take out the event and post the first points on the board for either nation at the Great North City Games.

The Great North City Games continue today with national 10,000m record-holder Collis Birmingham (mile) and distance running great Benita Willis (two miles) set to headline the Australian campaign.

Also in action are recent Berlin world championships representatives Anthony Alozie (60m), Matt Davies (60m, 150m) and Sean Wroe (150m) as well as 2009 World University Games campaigners Lauren Boden (150m, 100m hurdles), Melissa Breen (150m), John Burstow (110m hurdles), Shaun Fletcher (long jump) and Henry Frayne (long jump).

Young guns Daniel Martin (110m hurdles), the U20 national 100m, 200m and 110m hurdles champion, and Selma Kajan (mile), the U20 national 800m and 1500m champion, will add youth to the day two line-up.

Athletics fans can catch all the action from Newcastle at midday on Sunday, September 20 on ONE HD.

The second and final day of competition at the Great North City Games will feature:

100m hurdles (W): Lauren Boden, Shannon McCann
Two miles (W): Nikki Chapple, Lara Tamsett, Eloise Wellings, Benita Willis
One mile (W): Kelly Hetherington, Selma Kajan, Katherine Katsanevakis, Holly Noack
One mile (M): Collis Birmingham, Nick Bromley, Mitch Kealey, Brad Woods
Long jump (M): Shaun Fletcher, Henry Frayne
110m hurdles (M): John Burstow, Daniel Martin
60m (M): Anthony Alozie, Matt Davies
150m (M): Davies, Sean Wroe
150m (W): Boden, Melissa Breen

The Great North City Games will be followed on Sunday by the Great North Run.

On Sunday, November 29 the Great Run series heads to Melbourne for the Great Australian Run, a 15km run through the streets of Melbourne starting and finishing at Albert Park. Enter online at http://www.greataustralianrun.com.au