2004 Australian Champs men's 400m Final - Vincent, Hill and Dwyer (dsq); NB. Steffensen is out of the shot (© Getty Images)
Clinton Hill won the men’s 400m, the much awaited show piece of day three of the Telstra Olympic Team Athletics Trials, which lived up to expectations with a desperately tight finish.
During the day seven athletes automatically qualified for the Olympic Games in Athens - Justin Anlezark (Shot), Nathan Deakes (20km W), Bronwyn Eagles (Hammer), Clinton Hill (400m), Kym Howe (Pole Vault), Jane Saville (20km W) and Casey Vincent (400m).
Hill gets 400m photo-finish verdict
Clinton Hill, 23, came away from today’s 400m final as the first man in championship history to have won three consecutive titles at the distance. In a fine race, Hill and 24 years-old Casey Vincent dead heated in 45.46, with the former declared the winner after the photo-finish was consulted.
John Steffensen, 22, was also impressive, setting a new personal best of 45.63 for third. His previous best had been 45.72 (31 Jan 2004)
26 year-old Patrick Dwyer (PB 44.73A in 2000; season's best of 45.67) was closely incontention but was disqualified for running out of lane.
Anlezark is in top form
In the men’s Shot, Justin Anlezark, 2003 World Championships fifth place finisher – both indoors and out – won his 5th consecutive national title, throwing an impressive third round 20.72m for the win. Except for two fouls – fourth and fifth rounds – Anlezark’s series was very solid - 20.34m, 20.46m, 20.72m, foul, foul, 20.38m. Way back in second place was Scott Martin with an opening 19.53m put.
Saville wins the 20km Walk
Four years since an Olympic gold medal went begging when Jane Saville was disqualified as she approached the stadium in Sydney, she won the Australian title in 1:32.06.
"Walking is a funny old sport. Anything can happen, as it shows at the Olympics," Saville confirmed. "I've got my place now (for Athens), so I'm really happy. That's why you compete at the Olympics, to win a medal, and to win gold is the ultimate. I hope to go a bit better than Sydney, get to the finish line!"
"I've still got a lot of improving to do if I want to mix it with the best girls in the world but I've got no illusions about that and I'll just keep training hard."
Behind Saville came Cheryl Webb in second place (1:34.36), and Natalie Saville was third (1:36.33).
Nathan Deakes won the men’s 20km Race Walk in 1:23.11, beating Luke Adams (1:25.31) and Liam Murphy (1:26.50). After constant battles with injuries since the 2002 Commonwealth Games, Deakes is confident he will have an injury free preparation in the lead up to Athens.
Eagles learns how to soar again
Bronwyn Eagles managed the Olympic “A” standard on her final throw to win the women’s Hammer with 67.92 metres. Karyne Di Marco claimed second (65.17m), and defending Champion Brooke Krueger was third (63.07m).
Howe’s flying too
Western Australia’s Kym Howe took the national women’s Pole Vault title ahead of defending champion Rosanna Ditton, who cleared a new personal best height of 4.30m. Reigning Olympic silver medallist Tatiana Grigorieva has to continue her fight for Athens selection, after failing to clear her opening height of 4 metres.
New Sprint find
In the men's 100m, 23 year-old Josh Ross was ecstatic after winning his first national title, in his first appearance at the national championships. The 2003 Stawell Gift winner clocked an Olympic 'B' qualifier in the Men’s 100 metres, winning convincingly in 10.27.
Nigerian Ambrose Ezenwa took second place (10.39) and Paul Di Bella was third (10.43). Ross’s time was a huge new personal best improving the 10.37 he established on 11 January in Perth this year.
In the women’s 100m, Nigeria’s Gloria Kemasuode won in 11.31 from Lauren Hewitt (11.45).
New Zealand’s 1997 World champion Beatrice Faumuina won the women’s Discus with a throw of 63.44m, while her compatriot Rebecca Wardell took the women's 400m Hurdles in 56.97.
Georgina Clarke won the women’s 5000m in 15:53.31, while Craig Mottram took the men’s final (13:31.74).
Eleven titles each for Murphy and Vander-Kuyp
Veteran Andrew Murphy won his 11th straight Triple Jump national title, leaping 16.87m. Also winning his 11th National title, was 110m Hurdler Kyle Vander-Kuyp in a season’s best time of 13.65.
The men’s Javelin was won by William Hamlyn Harris who threw 77.09 metres for the win.
However, there was an upset for Commonwealth record holder Bronwyn Thompson in the women’s long jump, as the defending champion was defeated (6.39m) by Kerrie Taurima’s first round 6.58m.
Athletics Australia and IAAF
