16.02.2009

Target 2012 squad takes aim at NSW Championships

The future of Australian athletics was on show and on fire at the weekend, with the elite Target 2012 squad taking home a host of medals at the NSW Championships.

Local athlete Laura Cornford (NSW) was the first of the 14-strong competing squad to hit the dais after a dominant display in the javelin, her throw of 56.52m eclipsing the rest of the field and kick-starting a big weekend of results for the London hopefuls.

Also claiming medals in the field were Ellen Pettitt (WA), who posted 1.83m in the high jump in wet conditions to claim silver and John Thornell (NSW), who took out the long jump title with a leap of 7.59m.

In the women’s long jump event it was Jacinta Boyd (QLD) who claimed gold, shrugging off illness to win with a jump of 6.24m (w: 3.4).

Competing in his new hometown, Joe Stevens (VIC) battled foul trouble to clinch bronze in the shot put with a 16.02m heave, while Matt Boyd (QLD) sat out a 24-hour rain delay to clinch gold in the men’s pole vault with a leap of 5.20m.

Josh Robinson (QLD) rounded out the weekend’s field results with another gold medal for the Target 2012 squad, his throw of 74.66m in the javelin earning him the win.  

On the track the medals continued to roll in thick and fast with Justin Merlino (NSW) the first to fire, taking out the 110m hurdles in 14.04 (w:-0.3).

Lachlan Renshaw (1:50.12) and Brad Woods (1:50.13) ran a closely contested 800m to finish first and fourth respectively, Woods later going on to win silver in a fast-finishing 1500m in 3:45.02.

New South Wales athlete Jaimee-Lee Starr finished third in the 400m but it was the men’s event that turned out one of the more exciting races of the meet as Joel Milburn (NSW) posted a 45.92 to take out the title.

Milburn went on to take silver in the 200m behind Jump Start to London athlete Jacob Groth, racing home in a time of 21.80 (w: - 3.7) to round out a solid weekend on the track.

Following the event the 22-year-old local said he would now look to the major phase of the season full of confidence.

“I’ve got my expectations, I had a really good season last year so I’m looking to back that season up again,” he said.

“Going into last season I was a nobody and really got out there and just had a go and this year I know that I belong there, I know that I’m capable of performing against the best in the world and I’m capable of performing well against them.

“Last year was a little bit daunting for me but I managed to get out there and perform well so this year I’ll get out there with a stronger head and give them a run for their money.   

“I don’t want to fall down in a pit, I want to have two good seasons in a row so I’m aiming my sights high. I only just missed out on the final in Beijing so I’m aiming for a final in Berlin.

“I’m really aiming my sights on the World Championships, I’ve already got two A-qualifiers this season so I’m nowhere near the level I was at this time last year in the domestic season but I’ve run a B-qualifier tonight, I’m hoping to get a few more A-qualifiers this season and just to perform well in Australia.”

Rounding out a big weekend of competition Tristan Thomas (TAS) and Lauren Boden (ACT) teamed up to claim the 400m hurdles double, Thomas taking out the men’s event in 50.09 while Boden posted 57.32 to take out the female title.

The weekend’s event doubled as a squad camp for all members of the Target 2012 program, who prior to the start of competition were involved in a series of education sessions aimed at continuing their all-round development towards the London Olympic Games.

Full competition results are available here.