Mitchell Watt sails 8.38m in Sydney (© Getty Images)
Constant rain during the day and early into the meet cleared up to provide ideal still conditions for the 2011 Sydney Track Classic, held at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre on Saturday (19) evening.
Mitchell Watt, the World championships bronze medallist who missed most of 2010 with a groin injury, leapt a great early season best of 8.38m. But he didn't have the ideal start opening the competition with three fouls.
"When I get a crowd like this, the adrenalin gets pumping which made me run a bit faster," said Watt.
"I just hadn't moved my run up back far enough. I was a little bit rusty, but got it right just in time in the last round. I was just hoping it was going to be over 8.20, as I wanted to get that out (World Championships qualifier) before the nationals.
"Honestly I didn't think it was going to be 8.20 metres, so to hear 8.38 metres was a surprise."
Rudisha cruises sub-1:45
There was much anticipation around the men's 800m with World record holder David Rudisha and Olympic 1500m champ Asbel Kiprop in the field. The pace was on from the gun with Rudisha's regular pace maker, Sammy Tangui in command.
Rudisha was cruising comfortably in second as Tangui passed the bell in 50.66 and continued until the 480 metre mark when Rudisha took up the pace himself and stretched away to win in a meet record of 1:44.80.
Beijing Olympian, Lachlan Renshaw, who was the leading Aussie throughout the race, looked likely to be challenged in the home straight, but held on to defeat former Seton Hall student, James Gurr, 1:46.08 to 1:46.62. Kiprop was a distant fifth in 1:46.80.
"I'm very happy with today, I ran 1:44 and it was very good," said Rudisha. I'm very strong and my shape is coming along well. It is a great way to start the season."
Adams reaches 20.55m
One of the night's leading performances was by New Zealand's Valerie Adams, who put 20.55m in the shot.
"You don't know how happy I am with that," said Adams who compiled a tremendous series with all but one of her series over 20 metres.
"I'm stoked, it is the best series this season, much better than Melbourne's four fouls.
"Didier Poppe said he wanted me to throw 20.50, before I go back (to Europe) in a couple of weeks," she said, referring to her Switzerland- based coach.
The wet conditions didn't suit World discus champion, Dani Samuels, who threw a best of 58.34m.
'I was quite disappointed actually, I threw a few decent ones out there and I felt good, but it just didn't really happen," she said. "The rain made it a bit slippery and it wasn't as good as Melbourne.
"I go to Perth now and then on to the European season on the way to the World Championships."
A surprise performance on the evening was recorded by Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Kimberley Mickle, who competing in the javelin Throw, added 33cm to her personal best with a sixth round throw of 63.82m. She defeated Sydney's Laura Cornford, who threw 57.74m to also raise her personal best.
Double triumphs for Pearson and Taylor
Olympic 100m Hurdles silver medallist, Sally Pearson, concentrating on sprints this season, claimed her fourth consecutive sprint double on the 2011 Australian Athletics Tour, after previous wins in Brisbane, Hobart and Melbourne. In both sprints, she defeated 11.02 American sprinter Miki Barber, clocking times of 11.21 and 23.12.
The 100m performance was a meet record, lowering Melinda Gainsford-Taylor's 1998 winning time of 11.31.
Not surprisingly, Gainsford-Taylor, who was commentating at the meet for local television, rated it the best track performance of the night.
However, Pearson wasn't too happy with her 200m performance.
"The time was disappointing. I've had a fantastic preparation, injury free and I've been training smart."
Two-time Olympic 400m Hurdles champion Angelo Taylor swept the 200m and 400m and was a fan favourite on the night. Taylor began with a convincing 200m win over rising Australian star Nicholas Hough, 17, in a time of 20.71. Hough, who is the Youth Olympic gold medallist in the 110m Hurdles, became Australia's fastest 200m performer this season with his run of 21.03.
In the 400m, the American returned only sixty minutes later to produce another strong finish to power home over a promising local contingent of Ben Offereins and 17-year-old Steven Solomon. Feeling the effects of his previous race Taylor took a steady approach to the first 200 metres before unleashing his trademark finish.
"I was a little tired after the 200 metres, but it was strong finish," he said after his 45.71 performance.
"My preparations in Australia have been great, the crowd was great and hopefully this will help me later in the year."
Continuing her outstanding form on her 'tour down under', Estonian Maris Magi lowered her 400m personal best for the second time in two weeks. Running in the relatively blind lane seven, Magi led into the home straight but have to withstand the onslaught by, firstly, American Monica Hargrove and finally, Melbourne's Tamsyn Lewis, who nearly nabbed Magi on the line as they clocked 52.21 and 52.26 respectively. Hargrove was a very close third in 52.33.
"I was a bit disappointed, I'm trying to bridge the gap between the 400 metres and 800 metres this year, so I lost a lot of speed over the first 200m," said former World Indoor 800m champion Lewis.
For the second occasion in eight days, the Australian women's 4x100m Relay team of Sally Pearson, Charlotte van Veenendaal, Laura Whaler and Mel Breen, just missed a World Championship's qualifier of 44.00. Last week the team clocked 44.05 and 44.02 tonight.
'We're so, so disappointed to miss out by such a close margin. We've trained all week to get the qualifier and to miss out is so disappointing," said the team anchor, Breen.
Elsewhere
Jamaican World Indoor 800m silver medallist Kenia Sinclair, winner of Melbourne's IAAF World Challenge 800m, continued her successful tour of Australia with a very comfortable 1500m win in 4:06.50. In fourth place there was a stunning performance by 15-year-old Sydneysider, Anna Laman, who sliced six seconds from her recent 1500m best to clock 4:13.62, just outside the Australian under-18 record held by Georgie Clarke who was just ahead of her in the race.
In the men's 5000m Race Walk Beijing Olympic silver and bronze medal winner Jared Tallent overcame a slow start to take victory in 19:01.00. Three-time Commonwealth Games silver medallist Luke Adams opened up an early break, but with half the distance to go Tallent picked up the pace and eventually drew clear. Having just return to Australia, Tallent was reasonably pleased with the race.
"I've just got back from Mexico this week and was feeling really flat and didn't train much so I wasn't sure how I would go. The pace wasn't that quick, so Luke (Adams) going out in front wasn't much of a concern."
Both Tallent and Adams will head to China to continue their campaigns towards to World Championships in South Korea. In the women's race, Tallent's wife Claire took victory in 22:09.11.
David Tarbotton and Lloyd Green for the IAAF
Click here for FULL RESULTS
Mitchell Watt, the World championships bronze medallist who missed most of 2010 with a groin injury, leapt a great early season best of 8.38m. But he didn't have the ideal start opening the competition with three fouls.
"When I get a crowd like this, the adrenalin gets pumping which made me run a bit faster," said Watt.
"I just hadn't moved my run up back far enough. I was a little bit rusty, but got it right just in time in the last round. I was just hoping it was going to be over 8.20, as I wanted to get that out (World Championships qualifier) before the nationals.
"Honestly I didn't think it was going to be 8.20 metres, so to hear 8.38 metres was a surprise."
Rudisha cruises sub-1:45
There was much anticipation around the men's 800m with World record holder David Rudisha and Olympic 1500m champ Asbel Kiprop in the field. The pace was on from the gun with Rudisha's regular pace maker, Sammy Tangui in command.
Rudisha was cruising comfortably in second as Tangui passed the bell in 50.66 and continued until the 480 metre mark when Rudisha took up the pace himself and stretched away to win in a meet record of 1:44.80.
Beijing Olympian, Lachlan Renshaw, who was the leading Aussie throughout the race, looked likely to be challenged in the home straight, but held on to defeat former Seton Hall student, James Gurr, 1:46.08 to 1:46.62. Kiprop was a distant fifth in 1:46.80.
"I'm very happy with today, I ran 1:44 and it was very good," said Rudisha. I'm very strong and my shape is coming along well. It is a great way to start the season."
Adams reaches 20.55m
One of the night's leading performances was by New Zealand's Valerie Adams, who put 20.55m in the shot.
"You don't know how happy I am with that," said Adams who compiled a tremendous series with all but one of her series over 20 metres.
"I'm stoked, it is the best series this season, much better than Melbourne's four fouls.
"Didier Poppe said he wanted me to throw 20.50, before I go back (to Europe) in a couple of weeks," she said, referring to her Switzerland- based coach.
The wet conditions didn't suit World discus champion, Dani Samuels, who threw a best of 58.34m.
'I was quite disappointed actually, I threw a few decent ones out there and I felt good, but it just didn't really happen," she said. "The rain made it a bit slippery and it wasn't as good as Melbourne.
"I go to Perth now and then on to the European season on the way to the World Championships."
A surprise performance on the evening was recorded by Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Kimberley Mickle, who competing in the javelin Throw, added 33cm to her personal best with a sixth round throw of 63.82m. She defeated Sydney's Laura Cornford, who threw 57.74m to also raise her personal best.
Double triumphs for Pearson and Taylor
Olympic 100m Hurdles silver medallist, Sally Pearson, concentrating on sprints this season, claimed her fourth consecutive sprint double on the 2011 Australian Athletics Tour, after previous wins in Brisbane, Hobart and Melbourne. In both sprints, she defeated 11.02 American sprinter Miki Barber, clocking times of 11.21 and 23.12.
The 100m performance was a meet record, lowering Melinda Gainsford-Taylor's 1998 winning time of 11.31.
Not surprisingly, Gainsford-Taylor, who was commentating at the meet for local television, rated it the best track performance of the night.
However, Pearson wasn't too happy with her 200m performance.
"The time was disappointing. I've had a fantastic preparation, injury free and I've been training smart."
Two-time Olympic 400m Hurdles champion Angelo Taylor swept the 200m and 400m and was a fan favourite on the night. Taylor began with a convincing 200m win over rising Australian star Nicholas Hough, 17, in a time of 20.71. Hough, who is the Youth Olympic gold medallist in the 110m Hurdles, became Australia's fastest 200m performer this season with his run of 21.03.
In the 400m, the American returned only sixty minutes later to produce another strong finish to power home over a promising local contingent of Ben Offereins and 17-year-old Steven Solomon. Feeling the effects of his previous race Taylor took a steady approach to the first 200 metres before unleashing his trademark finish.
"I was a little tired after the 200 metres, but it was strong finish," he said after his 45.71 performance.
"My preparations in Australia have been great, the crowd was great and hopefully this will help me later in the year."
Continuing her outstanding form on her 'tour down under', Estonian Maris Magi lowered her 400m personal best for the second time in two weeks. Running in the relatively blind lane seven, Magi led into the home straight but have to withstand the onslaught by, firstly, American Monica Hargrove and finally, Melbourne's Tamsyn Lewis, who nearly nabbed Magi on the line as they clocked 52.21 and 52.26 respectively. Hargrove was a very close third in 52.33.
"I was a bit disappointed, I'm trying to bridge the gap between the 400 metres and 800 metres this year, so I lost a lot of speed over the first 200m," said former World Indoor 800m champion Lewis.
For the second occasion in eight days, the Australian women's 4x100m Relay team of Sally Pearson, Charlotte van Veenendaal, Laura Whaler and Mel Breen, just missed a World Championship's qualifier of 44.00. Last week the team clocked 44.05 and 44.02 tonight.
'We're so, so disappointed to miss out by such a close margin. We've trained all week to get the qualifier and to miss out is so disappointing," said the team anchor, Breen.
Elsewhere
Jamaican World Indoor 800m silver medallist Kenia Sinclair, winner of Melbourne's IAAF World Challenge 800m, continued her successful tour of Australia with a very comfortable 1500m win in 4:06.50. In fourth place there was a stunning performance by 15-year-old Sydneysider, Anna Laman, who sliced six seconds from her recent 1500m best to clock 4:13.62, just outside the Australian under-18 record held by Georgie Clarke who was just ahead of her in the race.
In the men's 5000m Race Walk Beijing Olympic silver and bronze medal winner Jared Tallent overcame a slow start to take victory in 19:01.00. Three-time Commonwealth Games silver medallist Luke Adams opened up an early break, but with half the distance to go Tallent picked up the pace and eventually drew clear. Having just return to Australia, Tallent was reasonably pleased with the race.
"I've just got back from Mexico this week and was feeling really flat and didn't train much so I wasn't sure how I would go. The pace wasn't that quick, so Luke (Adams) going out in front wasn't much of a concern."
Both Tallent and Adams will head to China to continue their campaigns towards to World Championships in South Korea. In the women's race, Tallent's wife Claire took victory in 22:09.11.
David Tarbotton and Lloyd Green for the IAAF
Click here for FULL RESULTS
