Home » News and Media » News » 2010 » February » Super seven on track for Briggs Athletics Classic
11.02.2010
Australian Flame athletes Collis Birmingham (5000m), Youcef Abdi (5000m), Ryan Gregson (1500m), Brendan Cole (400m hurdles), Alwyn Jones (triple jump), Pirrenee Steinert (400m) and Petrina Price (high jump) will lead an all-star line-up in action at the Domain Athletics Centre on the third leg of the 2010 national series.
In what could be the event of the night, 25-year-old Victorian Collis Birmingham will head a strong field of entrants in the men’s 5000m, with Australian Flame teammate and Beijing Olympics 3000m steeplechase finalist Youcef Abdi, reigning national marathon champion Dale Engler, 2009 City to Surf winner Michael Shelley, reigning national cross country champion Clint Perrett and rising stars of the sport Kane Wille and Duer Yoa all out to stake an early claim for Commonwealth Games selection.
Lining up for his first track hit-out since his 10,000m national championship win at the Zatopek:10 in December and with a solid block of altitude training at Falls Creek (Vic) now under his belt, Birmingham will be looking for his fourth win in a row over the 5000m distance at the same Hobart track tomorrow night.
In the women’s field, 2004 world cross country champion Benita Willis will take on reigning national 10,000m champion Eloise Wellings and 2009 national 10,000m champion Lara Tamsett.
Still on the track, the men’s 1500m will showcase the strongest field ever assembled over that distance in Tasmania, with Beijing Olympian Mitch Kealey to make his return to the Domain Athletics Centre following his win at the 2008 edition of the Briggs Athletics Classic that set him up for a stellar year on the international scene.
On the start line he will meet Berlin world championships representative Ryan Gregson, the 19-year-old entering the meet with form on his side following a stunning personal best over 800m at the Hunter Track Classic in Newcastle last weekend. National 800m champion Nick Bromley and 2009 world youth championships representatives James Connor, Kane Grimster and Jordan Williamsz will also challenge for line honours over what should be a fast and furious few laps.
Following his impressive win and two A-qualifying marks in the shot put at the Brisbane Athletics Classic last weekend, emerging Victorian athlete Dale Stevenson will be out to build on his good form in the men’s shot put tomorrow night.
Joining Stevenson in the field will be Beijing Olympian Jarrod Bannister, who returns to action from a lengthy layover due to injury and with his eye firmly fixed on Commonwealth Games selection.
In other action at the Domain Athletics Centre, world championships athlete Brendan Cole will front the field in the men’s 400m hurdles, Australian Flame teammate Petrina Price will take on 2009 world youth championships silver medallist Amy Pejkovic in the women’s high jump and ACT athlete Melissa Breen and Jump Start to London hopeful Laura Whaler will continue their tussle over the 100m/200m sprint double.
Whaler edged out Breen in a photo finish over 100m at the season-opening Australia Cup meet in Canberra last month before Breen fought back with victory in the blue-riband event in Brisbane on Saturday night.
The Briggs Athletics Classic is the third stopover on the 2010 Australian Athletics Tour, which continues with the Sydney Track Classic on Saturday, February 27 and the Melbourne Track Classic on Thursday, March 4.
Continuing a bumper weekend of athletics on the Apple Isle, former world champion Nathan Deakes will make his much-awaited return to competitive racing after a long-standing battle with injury this Saturday night in Round 1 of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge. The high-stakes event will double as the national 20km race walking championships and Commonwealth Games selection trials.
Joining Deakes in one of the strongest race walking fields ever assembled in Australia will be 2007 IAAF Race Walking Challenge title-holder Luke Adams, 2008 victor and dual Olympic medallist Jared Tallent, defending champion Eder Sanchez (MEX) and a host of leading local and overseas challengers from as far and wide as Mexico, Japan and New Zealand all out for a share of the $10,000 prize purse.
Briggs Athletics Classic
Friday February 12, 2010
Action starts 5:45PM (AEDT)
Domain Athletics Centre
Tickets at the gate
News
Super seven on track for Briggs Athletics Classic
The Australian Athletics Tour heads to Hobart this Friday night for the Briggs Athletics Classic, where seven world championships representatives will headline a night of blistering track and field action.Australian Flame athletes Collis Birmingham (5000m), Youcef Abdi (5000m), Ryan Gregson (1500m), Brendan Cole (400m hurdles), Alwyn Jones (triple jump), Pirrenee Steinert (400m) and Petrina Price (high jump) will lead an all-star line-up in action at the Domain Athletics Centre on the third leg of the 2010 national series.
In what could be the event of the night, 25-year-old Victorian Collis Birmingham will head a strong field of entrants in the men’s 5000m, with Australian Flame teammate and Beijing Olympics 3000m steeplechase finalist Youcef Abdi, reigning national marathon champion Dale Engler, 2009 City to Surf winner Michael Shelley, reigning national cross country champion Clint Perrett and rising stars of the sport Kane Wille and Duer Yoa all out to stake an early claim for Commonwealth Games selection.
Lining up for his first track hit-out since his 10,000m national championship win at the Zatopek:10 in December and with a solid block of altitude training at Falls Creek (Vic) now under his belt, Birmingham will be looking for his fourth win in a row over the 5000m distance at the same Hobart track tomorrow night.
In the women’s field, 2004 world cross country champion Benita Willis will take on reigning national 10,000m champion Eloise Wellings and 2009 national 10,000m champion Lara Tamsett.
Still on the track, the men’s 1500m will showcase the strongest field ever assembled over that distance in Tasmania, with Beijing Olympian Mitch Kealey to make his return to the Domain Athletics Centre following his win at the 2008 edition of the Briggs Athletics Classic that set him up for a stellar year on the international scene.
On the start line he will meet Berlin world championships representative Ryan Gregson, the 19-year-old entering the meet with form on his side following a stunning personal best over 800m at the Hunter Track Classic in Newcastle last weekend. National 800m champion Nick Bromley and 2009 world youth championships representatives James Connor, Kane Grimster and Jordan Williamsz will also challenge for line honours over what should be a fast and furious few laps.
Following his impressive win and two A-qualifying marks in the shot put at the Brisbane Athletics Classic last weekend, emerging Victorian athlete Dale Stevenson will be out to build on his good form in the men’s shot put tomorrow night.
Joining Stevenson in the field will be Beijing Olympian Jarrod Bannister, who returns to action from a lengthy layover due to injury and with his eye firmly fixed on Commonwealth Games selection.
In other action at the Domain Athletics Centre, world championships athlete Brendan Cole will front the field in the men’s 400m hurdles, Australian Flame teammate Petrina Price will take on 2009 world youth championships silver medallist Amy Pejkovic in the women’s high jump and ACT athlete Melissa Breen and Jump Start to London hopeful Laura Whaler will continue their tussle over the 100m/200m sprint double.
Whaler edged out Breen in a photo finish over 100m at the season-opening Australia Cup meet in Canberra last month before Breen fought back with victory in the blue-riband event in Brisbane on Saturday night.
The Briggs Athletics Classic is the third stopover on the 2010 Australian Athletics Tour, which continues with the Sydney Track Classic on Saturday, February 27 and the Melbourne Track Classic on Thursday, March 4.
Continuing a bumper weekend of athletics on the Apple Isle, former world champion Nathan Deakes will make his much-awaited return to competitive racing after a long-standing battle with injury this Saturday night in Round 1 of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge. The high-stakes event will double as the national 20km race walking championships and Commonwealth Games selection trials.
Joining Deakes in one of the strongest race walking fields ever assembled in Australia will be 2007 IAAF Race Walking Challenge title-holder Luke Adams, 2008 victor and dual Olympic medallist Jared Tallent, defending champion Eder Sanchez (MEX) and a host of leading local and overseas challengers from as far and wide as Mexico, Japan and New Zealand all out for a share of the $10,000 prize purse.
Briggs Athletics Classic
Friday February 12, 2010
Action starts 5:45PM (AEDT)
Domain Athletics Centre
Tickets at the gate
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