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Birkinhead and Steele lead Australian charge
Blake Steele and Damien Birkinhead have headed Australia’s charge at Bishan Stadium tonight the Youth Olympics Games continue in the city-state of Singapore.
Gallantly looking to undertake his original race plan despite illness, Steele from Adelaide lined up in the 10,000m walk to place 11th in a time of 49 minutes and 25 seconds.
“Right from the start I was drained from my sickness. I tried to make the most of it and I was trying to stay energetic but when you start from behind it's pretty hard, so I’m happy in the end with how I went,” Steele said.
“I tried to race my own race and I went out at the right time but I really struggled with the heat and hydration and it got to me in the end.
“I felt comfortable for one or two k’s and then it started to get a bit hard and I eventually faded away. I managed to kick hard in the final straight and I’m pretty happy with that.”
Steele will now recuperate from his gruelling race and when back in Australia will look to the All Schools in December, where he hopes to impress Australian Institute of Sport scholarship scouts as he considers a move to Canberra.
Ukraine’s Lyashchenko was in the lead pack from the gun and his time of 42:43.93 secured the gold by over a minute. The bronze was won by Russia's Pavel Parshin in 44:18.04.
Birkinhead came to Singapore wanting a medal and he finished oh-so-close in fourth place.
His best performance from the four-throw final was 20.55m with his opening effort and then he couldn’t reproduce his best as the competition heated up.
“Unfortunately tonight didn’t work out the way I wanted it to but I gave it my best effort,” Birkinhead reflected.
“My PB’s 21.28m which is right up there with them but I couldn’t get it happening tonight.
“I’ll go home and prepare myself for All Schools (December) and try to get that 22m mark in. I can do better.”
The athletics competition at the Youth Olympic Games concludes on Monday with Australians featuring in two A finals (Blundell - 1000m and Williams - 400m hurdles), two B finals (Cross - pole vault and Gwynne - 2000m steeplechase) and the boys' and girls' medley relays.
With thanks to Andrew Reid and the AOC
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