12.02.2010

Birmingham, Gregson rewrite the record books in Hobart

Berlin world championships representatives Collis Birmingham (5000m) and Ryan Gregson (1500m) have turned on a stunning show at the Briggs Athletics Classic in Hobart tonight, posting new meet records and Commonwealth Games A-qualifying marks on a night that saw four of Australia’s top athletes stake their claim for a ticket to New Delhi.

Birmingham and Gregson were joined by shot putter Dale Stevenson and high jumper Petrina Price in setting Commonwealth Games A-standards at the Domain Athletics Centre on the third leg of the 2010 Australian Athletics Tour.

National 10,000m record-holder Birmingham was outstanding in the men’s 5000m, taking out his fourth straight win over the distance at the Hobart meet. Birmingham’s time of 13:24.62 bettered his own meet record of 13:27.25 (2009) and saw him cross the line a full 24 seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

“I’m pretty happy, it’s the fastest I’ve run here in the four years that I’ve won it so I guess I’m a bit fitter than last year and previous years and I’m happy with the direction I’m going,” Birmingham said.

On the back of tonight’s scintillating run the 25-year-old Victorian threatened he would be looking to better his effort once again at the Melbourne Track Classic at Melbourne Olympic Park on March 4.
 
“I haven’t done anything different but I’m in better shape without actually having to keep putting in all the effort that I will be later in the season. I just hope that come Melbourne, we’ll have a few good guys around and they’ll push me along.”

Following Birmingham home in a quality field were Ben St Lawrence (13:38.73), 2009 City to Surf winner Michael Shelley (13:39.59) and reigning national cross country champion Clint Perrett (13:48.97).
 
Also keeping the statisticians busy was 19-year-old Ryan Gregson, who tonight made the Domain Athletics Centre his own with a Commonwealth Games A-qualifier and new meet record over 1500m, eclipsing Mitchell Kealey’s mark of 3:39.70 from 2008.
 
Just a week after recording a new personal best time over 800m at the Hunter Track Classic in Newcastle (NSW) last weekend (1:47.06), Gregson stormed home in the final lap of tonight’s race to secure a convincing win in 3:37.35.

The New South Welshman and national Under 20 3000m record-holder now has his sights firmly set on a ticket to Delhi. 

“It would be great to make the team and I know this will put me in good stead,” Gregson said.

“I’d probably be one of the youngest track and field athletes ever to make it. One day I want to be the best in the world and this is a good start, I guess.”

An emerging force over distances from 800m to 5000m, Gregson said he was excited to be part of a nationwide resurgence in middle distance running.

“I’d probably have to say the 1500m, it’s not the mile anymore but it’s pretty close to the mile and in Australia especially, the mile’s got so much history with John Landy and Herb Elliot so I just want to bring back that history for Australia and keep running well over 1500m,” he said.

Gregson was followed home by Beijing Olympian Mitchell Kealey (3:39.83) and Victorian Brenton Rowe (3:40.95).

Emerging Mornington Peninsula shot putter Dale Stevenson was again impressive in the field, throwing a Commonwealth Games A-qualifying mark of 19.23m to follow on from his two A-qualifying distances at the Brisbane Athletics Classic last weekend.

Also in the field, world championships representative Petrina Price notched a Commonwealth Games A-qualifying mark in the women’s high jump with a leap of 1.90m.

On a bumper night of track and field at the Domain Athletics Centre, eight world junior qualifying standards were also achieved by Matt Turk in the 200m (21.27, w: 0.3), Alex Rowe in the 800m (1:49.58), Jordan Williamsz (3:44.27), Kane Grimster (3:45.80) and Brett Robinson (3:46.46) in the 1500m, Kevin Batt in the 5000m (14:04.77), Sasha Alexeenko in the 400m hurdles (52.22) and 2009 world youth championships silver medallist Amy Pejkovic in the high jump (1.84m).

In other highlights:
- Beijing Olympian Jarrod Bannister made a winning return to competition from a lengthy layover due to injury, taking out the men’s javelin throw with a best effort of 76.25m.
- National 10,000m champion Eloise Wellings took out the women’s 5000m, clocking 15:35.37 to finish just ahead of distance stalwart Benita Willis (15:48.64) and young gun Lara Tamsett (15:49.35).

The action continues in Hobart tomorrow with the national combined events championships taking over the Domain Athletics Centre and former world champion and world record-holder Nathan Deakes making his return from injury in Round 1 of the 2010 IAAF Race Walking Challenge.
 
The Australian Athletics Tour will now move north for the Sydney Track Classic on Saturday, February 27 and conclude with the Melbourne Track Classic on Thursday, March 4.