30.03.2009

McLellan blitzes in Canberra, B qualifier for Lucas

World class sprinting from Olympic 100m hurdles silver medallist Sally McLellan was the highlight of the final meet on the Athletics ACT calendar in Canberra yesterday (Sunday).

Meanwhile in Melbourne, Australia's youngest ever pole vault champion Blake Lucas, 18, continued his promising form, clearing a new personal best of 5.55m to post his first world championships B-qualifier.

Seven national champions took to the Australian Institute of Sport track for one of the best meets seen in the ACT this summer season.

In the 200m, McLellan blitzed the strong field, which included 400m/800m star Tamsyn Lewis, in an astonishing 22.66. Unfortunately a tiny gust of wind pushed the reading over the legal limit to 2.1m/s.

McLellan won the 100m earlier in the day in 11.40 (0.0m/s) just ahead of local teen sprint sensation Melissa Breen (11.56).

Queenslander Matt Davies took advantage of the ideal conditions to record a new personal best in the men's 200m with 20.77 (1.0m/s), defeating Keith Sheehy who ran a big personal best of 20.82 and national champion Aaron Rouge-Serret (21.00).

Rouge-Serret opened the meet with a 10.37 (0.6m/s) win in the 100m from training partner Josh Ross. The victory reversed the result of last week's Australian Championships where Ross won his fifth 100m title and Rouge-Serret finished second.

Another Queenslander Jacinta Boyd recorded her second best ever jump with 6.51m to win the women's long jump and show she is back in the shape which saw her leap 6.64m on the Canberra track three years ago.

NSW sprinter Pirrenee Steinert bounced back from a disappointing nationals to finish her season off in fine style with a new personal best of 53.18 to win the 400m.

AIS hurdles specialist Tristan Thomas finished his season the way he started with a dominating win in the 800m.

Paced through half-way by fellow 48-second hurdler Chris Rawlinson, Thomas was out on his own in a gutsy last 300m and stopped the clock at 1.48.34.

The 400m hurdles national champion's win capped off an outstanding six months which earned him the title of 2009 Australian Athlete of the Season. Thomas now sets his sights on the Berlin World Championships in August.

Full results

With thanks to Pat Birgan