18.03.2010

Milburn, Boden fly at Adelaide Invitational

Olympic 400m semi-finalist and 2009 world championships representative Joel Milburn has powered to a commanding victory over local Commonwealth Games aspirant Clay Watkins in the race of the meet at last night’s Adelaide Invitational at Santos Stadium.

The New South Welshman went out hard in a star-studded 400m field that included 800m specialists Tristan Garrett and James Gurr.
 
On a night that saw perfect conditions at Santos Stadium the winning time was always going to be swift, but the question on everyone’s lips was whether the estimated 400-strong crowd would witness a Commonwealth Games qualifying performance.

Milburn, who is expected to be named in the Commonwealth Games team later this year, established a clear lead at the halfway mark of the race before Watkins began closing the gap with a strong second-half performance. In the end Milburn’s class prevailed, sealing victory in a time of 46.17 ahead of Watkins (46.79) and James Gurr (47.20).

Milburn’s time was just half a second outside the Commonwealth Games A-qualifying standard of 45.65 and quicker than the times he posted at both the Sydney and Melbourne Track Classics on the 2010 Australian Athletics Tour.
 
"I’m the type of athlete that races myself into form," Milburn said.

"I needed another hit-out and this race fit into my program well. It’s good for South Australian athletics and it’s good for me. I’d love to come back."
 
While the men’s 400m was a fantastic spectacle it was local 800m runner James Boden who posted the individual performance of the night. Last domestic season Boden emerged as a future contender at national level, just missing the national 800m final. In perfect middle distance running conditions, designated pacemaker Michael Nitschke turned on a scintillating opening lap, receiving the bell in a little over 50 seconds. Boden, who has shown great 400m form in recent weeks, was only a few metres adrift of Nitschke and looked to be moving well.

Sensing they were watching something special, the crowd erupted over the final 100m as Boden gritted his teeth and drove towards the finish to cross the line in a new personal best time of 1:48.92. The emerging Andrew Giam produced the run of his life to finish second in a personal best time of 1:49.89, followed by the seasoned Robert Killmier, also with a new career best of 1:50.77.
 
"The pace was hard. I kicked home and it hurt but I’m very happy," said an elated Boden.

"I’ve been doing a bit more speed with Clay (Watkins), which I think helped."
 
The 3000m saw strong performances from 2009 world cross county representative Tara Palm (9:27.57), the talented Jess Trengove (9:32.83) and New South Wales 1500m specialist Lara Nicod (9:36.03).
 
In the sprints, the ever-consistent Leanne Hodge took out the 100m and 200m double in 12.16 (+0.0) and 24.20 (-0.4). Former world junior representative Todd Bateman produced a creditable 10.67 (+0.0) in the men’s 100m to edge out training partner and Olympic relay silver medallist Mark Ormrod in 10.79. Ormrod reversed the result in the men’s 200m to win in 21.37 (-0.8) after Bateman got off to a flyer out of the blocks.
 
The women’s 800m was won by Kate McKenzie, who produced a two second personal best, recording 2:14.30 thanks to the pacing efforts of Lara Nicod.
 
The final Adelaide Invitational meet of the season is scheduled for Wednesday, April 7 and will be the final chance for athletes to finetune their preparations for the Go for 2&5 88th Australian Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games selection trials from April 16-18 in Perth.
 
For full results from the Adelaide Invitational, visit athleticssa.org.

Adam Bishop
Athletics South Australia