News
Pearson dominant in Nivelles as Hough improves national record in Mannheim
World champion Sally Pearson (Qld) has won the women’s 100m and the women’s 100m hurdles at the 26th Meeting International de la Ville in Nivelles (BEL) this morning AEST, as Australian Spark Nick Hough (NSW) improved the national under 20 110m hurdles record in Mannheim (GER).
In the 100m, Pearson clocked a season best 11.20 (w: -1.2) to take line honours from compatriot Melissa Breen (ACT, second, 11.55) and Carima Louami (FRA, third, 11.65).
Bursting out of the blocks and never challenged in the sprint hurdles, Pearson clocked 12.52 (w: +0.4), just 0.03 shy of her own world lead, to win from Anne Zagre (BEL, second, 12.89) and CindyBillaud (FRA, third, 13.09).
Sharon Hannan, the coach of both Pearson and the Australian women’s 4x100m relay team, said: “Sally and I are very happy with her hurdles, this is a tiny village in the middle of Belgium where she wasn’t going to be challenged and she came out and still ran a really great time.”
“The 100m result was awesome as well, it's the fastest she has ran since the Perth Track Classic in March 2011 and that shows her speed is continuing to improve. Congratulations to Melissa too, she look relaxed out there which is a good result pretty much fresh off the plane from home.”
Pearson’s two victories continue her 2012 unbeaten run. She is yet to be defeated domestically or internationally in the 100m, 200m, 60m hurdles (indoor) or 100m hurdles this year. The Australian record holder and IAAF World Athlete of the Year, she will next compete at the Samsung Diamond League in Paris (FRA) on July 6.
Breen’s run today is her first after arriving in Europe with her training partners Brendan Cole (ACT) and Lauren Boden (ACT) earlier this week. Improving her personal best in the 100m (11.30) and 200m (23.30) during the2012 National Athletics Series, she will pending official selection make her Olympic debut in London (GBR) in the women’s 100m.
Both competing in the 400m hurdles in Nivelles, Cole clocked 50.60 to take line honours in the men's event, while Boden won the women’s race in 57.07.
In the 800m, Tamsyn Manou (Vic) crossed first in the women’s event in a time of 2:03.65, ahead of Marlies Manders (NED, second, 2:08.75) and Erin McIlveen (GBR, third, 2:11.09), while Lachlan Renshaw (NSW) was edged out for second in the men’s event in 1:46.45.
Meanwhile at the Bauhaus Junioren Gala, the Australian Spark have begun their international build-up for the IAAF world junior championships in Barcelona(ESP) next month.
Leading the charge was Spark team leader Hough, who improved the Australian under 20 110m hurdles record of Sam Baines (Vic) to 13.38 to win his heat. Advancing fastest to the final, he placed second in 13.51 (w: +1.2) behind JamesGladmann (GBR, 13.51), with Jussie Kanervo (FIN, 13.63) third.
Hough is a seven-time gold medallist individually at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships across 100m, 200m and the 110m hurdles. On debut for Australia at the Youth Olympic Games in 2010, he won a gold medal in the 110m hurdles (13.37) and a bronze medal in the sprint medley relay.
In other Australian Spark results on the track at the Bauhaus Junioren Gala:
- Olympic nominee Steven Solomon (NSW) won the boy’s 400m in a time of 45.71, just 0.17 seconds shy of the personal best he set to win a second consecutive Australian crown in April. Competing in a timed final, his fellow Australians Jarryd Buchan (Vic, 47.19), Max Waldron (Tas, 48.25), Jay Meaney (Qld, 48.50) and Keith Rodrigo (Vic, 49.49) were 5th, 16th, 19th and 29th respectively.
- Abbey de la Motte (Tas, 54.16) and Morgan Mitchell (Vic, 54.36) delivered an Australian one-two in the girl’s 400m, with both improving their personal bests in the process. The duo were joined by Ella Solin (WA, 55.84), Sarah Carli (NSW, 56.16) and Emily Coppins (NSW, 58.11), who crossed 17th, 21st and 25th respectively, in the timed final.
- Michelle Jenneke (NSW, 13.38) improved her personal best to place second in Final A of the women’s 100m hurdles, while Abbie Taddeo was 4th in Final C in a time of 14.44.
- 2011 IAAF world youth championships representative Jenny Blundell (NSW) won a silver medal in the girl’s 1500m in a time of 4:22.27.
- In the girl’s 100m, Monica Brennan (Vic, 11.70, w: +1.3) won bronze in Final A and Carla Williams (Qld, 11.88, w: +0.6) and Brooke Pires-Parenzee (WA, 12.02, w: +0.7) took home a silver in Final B and Final C respectively. Ella Nelson (NSW) clocked 12.25 (w: +0.3) to finish sixth in her heat.
- In the boy’s 100m, Ben Jaworski (NSW, 10.73, w: 0.0) and Hugh Donovan (Qld, 10.74) crossed 5th and 6th respectively in Final A, Matt Bertacco (Vic, 10.66, w: -0.6) placed second in Final B, Simon Greig (Vic, 10.89, w: +0.6) was 6th in Final C and Alex Hartmann (Qld) clocked 10.92 (w: 0.0) to finish sixth in his heat.
- The Australian boy's 4x100m relay team crossed third (40.48) behind France and Germany, while the girl's 4x100m relay team clocked 45.95 for 4th.
In other Australian Spark results in the field at the Bauhaus Junioren Gala:
- Damien Birkinhead (Vic), who is a Target Talent Program athlete, threw 20.53m in round six to win a gold medal in the boy’s shot put.
- Mitchell Cooper (Qld) heaved 57.10m to take home the gold medal in the boy's discus throw, with decathlete Jake Stein (NSW) third after a 56.08m personal best effort.
- Hurling 67.55m in round three of competition, Robert Johnston (Qld) won Final B of the boy’s hammer throw.
- Wasie Toolis (Qld) and Monique Cilione (Vic), both of whom competed at the IAAF world youth championships last year, finished third and 4th respectively in the girl’s javelin throw. Toolis threw 48.11m and Cilione hurled 48.07m.
- Mikayla Genge (Tas) won Final B of the girl’s hammer throw after a 54.43m heave, while Danielle McConnell (Tas, 58.58m) finished fourth in Final A.
- 2011 IAAF world youth championships representative Paris McCathrion (Vic) placed sixth in the girl’s pole vault. She cleared 3.90m on her first attempt, before stumbling at 4.00m.
- Soaring 12.46m (w: 0.0) in round three of competition, Josie Nichol (NSW) finished 5th in the girl’s triple jump.
- Heptathlete Melissa Farrington (NSW) threw 10.58m for 5th in the girl’s shot put.
- Decathlete Cedric Dubler (Qld) was 7th in the boy’s discus after a 35.93m throw in round three of competition.
To view and download results from the 26th Meeting International de la Ville, please click here.
To view and download results from day one of the Bauhaus Junioren Gala, please click here.
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