12.03.2010

Juniors Day 2: A dominant display by Damien

Victorian Damien Birkinhead stole the show on day two of the Sydney-hosted Australian Junior Athletics Championships today, crowned junior national champion in both the boys’ under 20 shot put and the boys’ under 18 hammer throw events.

Birkinhead’s winning throw of 18.21m in the shot put added a second world junior qualifier to his resume on the back of his previous 18.19m personal best achieved at a meet in Melbourne in December and saw him into first place ahead of Matthew Cowie (second - 17.24m) of Western Australia and New South Welshman Liam Speers (third - 16.60m). Birkinhead now looks a strong chance to represent Australia at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in August.

In further action in the throws cage, Birkinhead’s heave of 67.88m added the boys' under 18 hammer throw title to his trophy cabinet with second and third place going to Queenslanders Robert Johnson (60.88m) and David Rakoci (55.80m).

“It was all a bit back and forth this morning but that’s a part of competition and I was really ecstatic about the results, I know that I did the best I could have done on the day,” Birkinhead said.

“I’m looking forward to the prospect of heading overseas as I’m keen to impress further after competing at the world youth championships last year.”

Not to be outdone, the girls’ under 20 shot put provided a reverse result to yesterday’s discus throw final.

Victorian-based Samoan athlete Margaret Satupai turned the tables on discus champion Kim Mulhall (14.97m) with a winning throw of 15.40m, Rai Prabhjot (13.04m) shoring up a Victorian trifecta in the bronze medal position.

In a new personal best height of 3.95m and recording her first world junior qualifying performance, Amanda Bartrim has staked her claim for the world junior championships by taking out the national title over Victorian Rebecca Marchant (3.70m) and Ellen Pearce (3.55m) of Western Australia.

“I’m feeling pretty good and very happy, I’ve worked on my long run since the Sydney Track Classic and just seemed to get it right out there today,” Bartrim said.

“I didn’t believe that I cleared the 3.95m mark at first but it’s amazing to get my action right and confidence up.”

On the track Victorian Sam Baines (13.75) held off a late challenge from Mitchell Tysoe (13.95) of New South Wales to claim the national title in the boys’ under 20 110m hurdles. With the pair once again crossing the line in world junior qualifying time, Baines was excited about competing alongside his on-track rival.

“It’s a really good result, I’ve been doing some tough training and the time was a PB,” Baines said.

“Having some depth in the event with Mitch running so well is great, it puts us in good stead for world juniors where I hope to, if selected, make the final and from there who knows.”

Equalling an Australian record that has stood since 1979, New South Wales ‘A’ were crowned girls’ under 18 4x100m relay national champions in a time of 45.75. Comprising Michelle Jenneke, Ella Nelson, Rebecca Watts and Karlie Morton, the team was followed across the finish line by Victoria ‘A’ (45.83) and Queensland ‘A’ (47.27).

Jenneke said “we haven’t really run as a team that often so to win was great let alone take out a national record.”

Wrapping up the day's events was the girls' and boys' under 20 10,000m race walk. Providing encouraging signs for Australia's continuing strength in the sport, Regan Lamble and Dane Bird-Smith were victorious in world qualifying times of 48:21.71 and 43:16.93 respectively. Second place-getters were South Australian Paige Hooper (49:12.58) and Victorian Rhydian Cowley (43:22.47), also in world junior qualifying times.

In other highlights:

 - Tomorrow’s 1500m final presents as one of the races of the meet with no less than five athletes vying for just two places on the world junior championships team. Kane Grimster of Victoria qualified fastest (3:55.13) ahead of Josh Wright (3:55.78), Jordan Williamsz (3:55.83), Todd Wakefield (3:57.03) and Brett Robinson (3:57.33).

 - After setting a new personal best to win the boys’ under 16 400m at the Australian All Schools Championships, Tasmanian Max Waldron has set the pace to qualify fastest heading into the boys’ under 17 400m final tomorrow in a time of 49.70 and will look to improve on his December time.

 - Clearing the bar at 4.75m, Theophilos Toumazo was first in the boys' under 20 pole vault with Victoria’s Brodie Cross (4.60m) and Tim Papas (4.15m) placing second and third respectively.

 - Seventeen-year-old Nicholas Hough of New South Wales made a play for the Youth Olympic Games with his winning time of 13.87 in the boys’ under 18 110m hurdles.

 - Queenslander Rosie Lawson came one step closer to world junior championships selection with her 14.04 first place in the girls' under 20 100m hurdles on the back of a previous qualifying time of 13.98 at the Brisbane Athletics Classic.

With the boys’ and girls’ under 20 100m heats featuring Jake Hammond, Patrick Fakiye, Mathew Turk, Karlie Morton, Caitlin Sargent and Ella Nelson to open proceedings tomorrow, the action is set to be fast and furious on day three at Sydney Olympic Park.

A number of girls on the rise will also be in action in the field tomorrow with Paris McCathrion and Elizbeth Parnov leading the way in the girls' under 18 pole vault and Brooke Stratton, Kertisha Thompson and Tara Whitehead set to impress in the girls' under 20 long jump final.

With Australia’s current depth in the mens’ 400m a talking point on the senior national circuit, the under 20 final of the same event will showcase the stars of the future with three Athletics Australia Under 19 Talent Squad members the ones to watch. Queenslanders Kuey Diew and Alex Beck will join Victorian Joel Bee over the highly-anticipated one lap race.

For a full list of results please click here.