09.12.2007

Stratton provides grand finale

Day 4 track report

Four years before Brooke Stratton was born, a young South Australian by the name of Rachel Steinberner produced a new under-15 triple jump meet record at the Australian All School Championships. The year was 1989 and today, 18 years later, the record finally fell.

The powerful Victorian, with striking platinum blonde hair, launched herself 12.16m on her final attempt this afternoon in Sydney, bettering the previous mark by 11 centimetres.

It was Stratton’s second gold medal of the meet. Yesterday the talented 14 year-old leaped an impressive 5.90m in the long jump, falling short of the long standing 1983 meet record by just six centimetres.

Following in the footsteps of her hero Bronwyn Thompson, Stratton still has a long way to go, however, her future looks promising.

"I’m very happy, a new PB and the meet record. I had a rough idea how well I’d go, but I didn’t expect to jump as far as I did. I’m hoping to jump 12:30m this season," explained the quietly spoken teenager.

Flying home to Hobart tonight, Evan Peacock would be as proud as punch of his two young charges Hamish and Huw.

Hamish Peacock tasted success once again at Sydney Olympic Park, this time conquering in the under-18 boys shot put. His best, a heave of 18.65m, was too good for Jamal Idris (NSW - 18.30m) and Liam Suter (QLD - 17.89m).

The two brothers ended their All Schools campaign with two gold medals apiece, Hamish (under-18 javelin and shot put) and Huw (under-16 hammer and shot put), ensuring any bragging rights between the two remained suppressed for now.

Two additional meet records fell in the field today. The under-14 javelin record was quashed by Elliott Lang (NSW) with a 58.41m throw, and Dani Samuel’s 2003 under-16 shot put record of 13.50m was erased by Victorian Margaret Satupai with 13.67m.

Although a World Junior qualifier eluded him on this occasion, Blake Lucas (NSW – 4.60m) conquered in the under-18 pole vault, defeating South Australia’s Harry Parkinson by 45cm.

Ryan Buttner (VIC) and Khaele Bowen (QLD) engaged in an entertaining battle in the under-14 high jump. Both clearing 1.82m, the boys struggled when the bar was raised to 1.85m. Unable to separate on count back, the duo entered a ‘jump off’, the bar lowered in two centimetre increments until the Victorian finally broke the deadlock after six high pressure jumps.

Only one solitary centimetre stood between gold and silver in the under-16 boys long jump. Victorian Luke Smith’s 6.59m leap on his first attempt looked to have the goods, however, Andrew Neville (NSW) responded on his final effort, launching himself 6.60m. Smith unable to match the New South Welshman’s best, settling for silver.

Queenslander Lincoln Cory showed some promise (17.11m) in the under-17 boys shot put, however West Australian Matthew Cowie held on with a 17.49m heave on his final attempt to secure victory.

Shannon Petrovic’s lead throughout the under-17 hammer throw competition was not threatened, collecting the gold medal with a best throw of 41.79m.

Hammer thrower Jacinta Faint from Queensland (47.20m) was crowned national champion in the under-18 division, Kurt Jenner (NSW – 6.70m) collected back-to-back national titles in the under-15 long jump, and Queensland’s Luanga Andria (65.50m) stole the show in the under-16 javelin.

Other field event winners included:

Theophilos Toumazos (SA) - under-17 boys pole vault (4.20m)
Tayla King (NSW) - under-14 girls high jump (1.67m)
Iesha Beer (QLD) - under-15 girls shot put (13.29m)
Curtis Vella (NSW) - under-15 boys javelin throw (57.76m)
Tara Whitehead (QLD) - under-16 girls triple jump (12.27m)

Held from December 6 - 9, more than 1500 athletes competed in the 2007 edition of the Telstra Australian All Schools Championships.

The next generation of Australian stars were on show, with selectors keenly observing the days’ action as they deliberate those in contention for July’s IAAF World Junior Championships in Poland and the 2008 Under-17 and 19 National Development Squads.