07.12.2007

Lightning strikes and Peacock sizzles

Live results

Day 2 track report

The Sydney Olympic Park infield may have resembled more of a swimming pool than an athletics track this afternoon, however, the torrential downpour didn’t stop World Youth silver medallist Hamish Peacock from shattering the under-18 javelin meet record at the 2007 Telstra Australian All Schools Championships today.

The 17 year-old was the standout on day two, bettering the previous meet record mark of 73.89m on four occasions.

Causing much delight amongst the small yet vocal Tassie crowd sitting in the stands, Peacock launched his favourite implement 76.23m into the turf on his fifth attempt, to convincingly defeat his fellow World Youth Championships team-mates Jamal Idris (70.40m) and Luke Bissett (68.49m).

After picking up a bronze yesterday in the discus, the talented teenager was determined to stand in prime position on the podium today. With his younger brother Huw collecting two gold medals in the under-16 hammer and shot put (17.81m), the friendly brotherly rivalry will heat up as competition continues over the weekend.

“I was expecting to throw that. It was probably my most consistent competition ever,” explained the quietly confident youngster.

“It was only 8cm from my personal best that I threw at the World (Youth) Championships.

“I haven’t thrown with the 700g javelin for a while because I have been using the 800g that I need to use at World Juniors.

“I want to throw over 70m with the 800g and then work up to 75m before World Juniors.”

In other meet records, Queenslander Jake Grevsmuhl improved on Kurt Jenner’s 6.47m mark by 1cm in the under-14 long jump, Victorian Damien Birkinhead bettered the under-15 shot put record with a heave of 17.66m, and Courtney Cross from New South Wales stamped her name in the record books with a leap of 5.63m.

Victorian thrower Margaret Satupai added another Australian All Schools title to her belt, this time in the under-16 girls discus (42.79m), just pipping teammate Jessica Kaufman.

Victorian Henry Frayne, the nephew of 1984 Olympian Bruce Frayne, packed his second gold medal into his suitcase, after leaping 15.44m into the sand in the under-18 boys triple jump.

Len Pearce (NSW) also made it two from two this morning, picking up the gold medal in the under-17 triple jump (14.29m).

In an entertaining contest, New South Wales heptathlete Caryn Brett (5.84m) conquered in the under-18 girls long jump, in a minor upset over Queenslander Katie Cox (5.74m) and Victorian Ashleigh Hamilton (5.49m).

Other winners today included:

Raheen Williams (WA) - under-15 boys high jump (1.99m)
Taryn Gollshewsky (QLD) - under-15 girls discus throw (41.17m)
Andrew Neville (NSW) - under-16 boys high jump (1.97m)
Andrew Giltrap (NSW) - under-17 boys javelin (62.46m)
Amy Pejkovic (NSW) - under-15 girls high jump (1.75m)
Ainsley Ackerman (QLD) - under-17 girls long jump (5.70m)
Amy Williams (QLD) - under-17 girls javelin throw (44.25m)
Denise Snyder (VIC) - under-16 girls high jump (1.75m)

The next generation of Australian field event stars are on show, with selectors keenly observing the day’s action as they deliberate selections for July’s IAAF World Junior Championships in Poland.

The enthralling field event action continues tomorrow, with Tahnee Reynolds-Hopkins (WA) chasing a World Junior qualifier in the under-18 triple jump (10am), Rachel Birtles (WA) taking to the runway in the under-18 pole vault (1pm), Kimberley Mulhall (VIC) striving for a clean sweep in the under-17 discus (2pm), Vika Lolo (NSW) and Lomana Fagatuai (NSW) battling it out in the under-18 discus (3:15pm) and the exciting Joshua Hall soaring to enviable heights in the under-18 high jump (4pm).

The 2007 Australian All Schools & Youth Championships continue until Sunday (December 9) at Sydney Olympic Park.

Individual athlete photos from 'Photos in a Flash' can be found here.