News
Hammerfest heads to Hobart
Australia’s annual festival of hammer throwing will culminate with competition at the Briggs Athletics Classic this weekend, as the Apple Isle plays host to the third edition of the Hammerfest.
Co-hosted by Athletics Australia, Athletics Tasmania, the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Track & Field Coaches Association, the Tasmanian Institute of Sport and UTAS, Hammerfest is a five-day program that brings together Australia’s best for training and development programs aimed at growing the sport across the country.
Evan Peacock, one of the event organisers, said: “Hammer throwers are some of the strongest and most powerful athletes in the sporting world.”
“They can throw their implement, which weighs the same as 45 cricket balls in themen’s event, over 85 metres. The release speed is more than 100 kilometres per hour and that speed is generated in a circle only seven foot wide.”
Lining up in Hobart are Australian Flame and 2010 Commonwealth Games representatives Gabrielle Neighbour and Tim Driesen, as well as retired Olympians Karyne Di Marco and Debbie Sosimenko.
Local juniors including Target Talent Program athlete Danielle McConnell, national under 17 champion Mikki Genge and multiple national underage medallists Huw Peacock, Sam Alderton and Rebecca Direen are also set to benefit from the activities undertaken.
Eric Hollingsworth, Athletics Australia High Performance Manager, said: “Hammer throwing forms an integral part of our long term plan to secure international medals.
“Throwing in general is a key target area given the number of international top-eightperformances of recent times. It’s a very technical event where we can succeed in the long term, particularly as a cross-over discipline.”
Michael Poulton, Athletics Australia Coaching Manager, said: “Hammerfest is a unique and very special annual event on the Australian Athletics calendar. It’s the only event that brings together coaches and athletes around a single discipline from all parts of the country to compete together and learn from eachother.
“The involvement of throwers of all levels provides an inspiring environment for training, competition and learning and will enhance the performance of some of our best throwers as they work towards qualifying for the Olympics and World Junior Championships later this year.”
Peter Fortune, the Sport Performance Coordinator at the Tasmanian Institute of Sport, endorses the comments: “I believe the now annual Hammerfest is a terrific initiative and is being regarded as a bench mark for other event disciplines.
“Tasmania can be proud that this event is the result of the efforts of our athletic family and plays an important role in the development of the national hammer throw program.”
The Briggs Athletics Classic is the third and final National Athletics Series meet on the 2012 Australian domestic season athletics calendar.
Aside from Australia’s best hammer throwers, Ben St Lawrence and Collis Birmingham headline the event in the men’s 5000m, while Lauren Boden and Brendan Cole are set to start in the women’s and men’s 400m hurdles respectively.
2012 NATIONAL ATHLETICS SERIES (Australian Athletics Tour in bold)
Brisbane Athletics Classic - Saturday, January 14 – QSAC, Brisbane
Hunter Track Classic – Saturday, January 21 – Hunter Sports Centre, Newcastle
Adelaide Track Classic – Saturday, January 28 – Santos Stadium, Adelaide
Briggs Athletics Classic – Saturday, February 4 – Domain Athletics Centre, Hobart
Perth Track Classic – Saturday, February 11 – WA Athletics Stadium, Perth
Sydney Track Classic – Saturday, February 18 – SOPAC, Sydney
Qantas Melbourne Track Classic (IAAF World Challenge) – March 2 & 3 – Lakeside Stadium, Melbourne
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletters to keep up to date with Athletics in Australia.
More Headlines
