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Brennan blisters straight for new PB
The Australian athletics team has finished the qualification stages at the Youth Olympic Games in fine style, with three of the four athletes in action today qualifying for A finals.
Monica Brennan ran a personal best of 24.69 in her 200m heat to secure the eighth lane in the A final on Sunday. The Victorian ran a beautiful bend and pushed hard to the line to place third.
After hearing her time and then confirming her spot in the A final she was smiling from ear to ear.
“All I wanted to do was run a PB and I got that so I’m very happy,” Brennan said.
“The last 50m hurt but I wanted to hang on to the Canadian outside of me,” the 16-year-old said.
Opening Australia's account on the track was Raheen Williams, who in a time of 53.11 placed third in his 400m hurdles heat.
“The first five hurdles were right, which is what I’ve really been working on. But coming around that last 200m I kept stuttering. At the end I tried to make up ground and just couldn’t,” Williams, who has a personal best of 52.74, said.
“If I can get in to the A final I know I can medal, I’ve just got to dig down hard,” he said before learning he had the chance to make amends.
Jenny Blundell controlled the pace for the first 600m of her 1000m heat before being passed down the back straight and hanging on well for fourth place. Her time of 2:46.68 is just outside her personal best.
She was ‘legless and hurting’ after the race but now has plenty of time to recover before Monday’s final, and has showed she will be in the mix with the top girls.
“I knew there would be some really strong girls and I just tried to hang on at the end. My race plan was to run an 800m and see what I could do in the final 200m and that’s what I did,” she said.
“I wish I could have run a bit quicker but getting through to the A final, I’m happy.”
In the stands as proud as punch were Blundell’s grandmother and friends dressed in their Sydney 2000 volunteer uniforms.
Blundell's grandmother has been one of her biggest fans for 16 years and when her mum couldn’t make the trip to Singapore she took on chief supporter duties.
Brodie Cross had a disappointing day in pole vault qualification. He cleared his first height of 4.45m on his first attempt before being unable to clear 4.60m as a result of windy conditions. He sits 12th after the qualifying rounds.
Damien Birkinhead chose to rest this morning and not take his fourth and final qualification attempt in the shot put. Before the rain came yesterday he was sitting comfortably in third position with his 20.89m throw and his position did not change.
After three days of competition, eight of the 16 athletes competing have confirmed their place in A finals, providing encouraging signs leading into the next round of competition commencing Saturday, August 21.
After three days of qualification, eight of the 16 Australians competing in Singpaore have qualified for A finals and there have been four new personal best marks and one equal personal best. Blake Steele’s 10,000m walk is a straight final on Sunday night.
With thanks to Andrew Reid and the AOC
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