News
Distance wrap: Birmingham, McKnight light up Hunter
Dominating wins by Commonwealth Games
representatives Collis Birmingham and
Kaila McKnight in their 3000m events were the
distance running highlights of the Hunter Track Classic in
Newcastle on Saturday night.
In the women's event, teenager Anna Laman
(Parramatta) was the early pacemaker before world junior 1500m
finalist Bridey Delaney (St George) took over.
Then Commonwealth Games representative Kaila
McKnight, Sydney Olympian Georgie Clarke
and former world cross country representative Emma
Rilen (Sydney Uni) broke away from Delaney. They pushed on
to the finish with McKnight going under nine minutes andd stopping
the clock at 8:58.46 to move to 19th on the Australian all-time
list.
Clarke finished well to run 9:01.27 - her fifth fastest ever -
while in third place Rilen smashed her personal best by seven
seconds to run 9:11.3. Fourth and fifth place-getters Delaney and
Belinda Martin (St George) were just outside their
personal bests with times of 9:16.65 and 9:35.03.
A strong field was assembled for the men’s 3000m, headed by leading
Victorian distance runner Collis Birmingham and
in-form American Craig Miller. After some early
pace was provided by local 800m athlete David
Bradney, the lead pack was on about 7:43 pace mid-race.
Commonwealth Games representative David McNeill
helped out with some mid-race pacing before it was left to
Birmingham, with Miller on his shoulder, to lead the race home in a
meet record time of 7:50.07.
World University Cross Country silver medallist Liam
Adams pipped Miller for second as both minor place-getters
went under 7:55. Adams smashed his personal best clocking 7:53.79.
Victorian Brenton Rowe clocked his first sub-eight
minute run, with 7:57.49. Steeplechaser Youcef
Abdi (Bankstown) showed solid summer form to place sixth
in a good time of 8:01.95.
The powerhouse of the men’s national half-mile scene, New South
Wales had its array of talent on show in Newcastle. Teenager
Jesse Beadman (Blue Mountains), a 1:51 half-miler,
sacrificed an opportunity to run in the B race to pace the A event.
He towed the field through a first lap of 53 seconds with
Matt Hammond (Easts), James Gurr
(UTS Norths), Tristan Garrett (UTS Norths) and
James Nipperess (Sydney Uni) in good positions.
National silver medallist James Kaan (Hills) was
well back in seventh. Down the back straight, Gurr, the national
bronze medallist, stretched out and looked in command, but at the
business end, the field lined up across the track as it became
anyone’s race. Kaan gradually wore Gurr down and as they hit the
line it was Kaan first, Garrett second, Hammond third and Gurr
fourth, with just 0.2 separating the field.
"It took me a while to get going in the first part," said
Kaan, who clocked 1:48.69.
"I was at the back and had to move up the field. I pretty much
timed it perfectly. The other guys looked like they were tiring.
Coming down the straight I saw the finish line and I just wanted to
win it so badly and I got there in the end."
"I got checked in the first 200m, then
there was pushing in the last 100m," said Garrett, the newest
athlete to this level of 800m.
"I was blocked on the inside and had nowhere to go and so I
had to go wide. I left it a little late, but it was a good
opener."
"I felt fine but I just didn’t seem to have that extra
gear," Gurr said.
"I haven’t done any speed work so maybe that’s why. I’m not
even that tired. It just didn’t happen.
"It’s early days and I’m still in very hard training but it’s
disappointing, I thought I would have run better than
that."
There was as good battle in the women’s 800m with favourite
Kelly Hetherington (Vic) just holding off NSW pair
Sianne Toemoe (UTS Norths) and Kelly
Young (Sydney Pacific), with the first two dipping under
2:06.
"I was hoping to run a bit quicker but never mind it’s still
early days," said Hetherington, whose goal this season is to
qualify for the World University Games.
"I just went out there to have a hard one."
Hetherington has been on the improve this
season.
"Last year I had a bit of trouble with my appendix being taken
out but this season I’m injury free," she said.
Click
here for the field and sprints report from the Hunter Track
Classic.
With thanks to David Tarbotton, Pat Birgan and Ron
Bendall for Athletics NSW
Photo courtesy of David Tarbotton
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