Members of Australia's 4x100m team (© Athletics Australia)
In their first match in 14 years, the final result in the U20 international match between Australia and Great Britain was decided in the very last event.
Battling gales and rain storms, the Australian team were magnificent breaking three Australian records and recording 14 personal bests. Going into the last event the match score was tied up, but a strong British women’s 4x400m relay took the final event and claimed victory in the match 83 to Australia’s 81 points.
Adelaide triple jumper Alwyn Jones had been a revelation last summer bounding 16.16m, but his lead up form had been patchy until he arrived in Manchester. In the first round, Jones reached an impressive 16.10m, but he was quickly pushed back to second place when British U23 athlete, competing as a guest, Nathan Douglas hit 16.17m in the second round. Douglas then extended his lead to 16.28m in the fifth round, but on the second last jump of the entire competition, Australia’s Jones responded by smashing his personal best with a leap of 16.30m and claiming the National U20 record of 16.27m held by Moscow Olympian Ian Campbell.
The women’s 4x100m team shaved 0.03 seconds off the Australian U20 record with a slick time of 44.94 seconds. The all Queensland team, of Jacinta Boyd, Sally McLellan, Michelle Cutmore and Rebecca Negus, broke the record set by a team in 1996 which included Sharon Cripps and Lauren Hewitt, who just weeks later helped the senior team to the Olympic final in Atlanta. The time was the second fastest in the World this year and would have placed fourth at the 2002 World Juniors.
The third Australian record was achieved by Riverina athlete, Annabel Thomson in the javelin, when she threw a personal best of 51.90m to claim an easy victory and break the Australian U18 record.
Queensland’s Joshua Robinson, continued his impressive lead up form by smashing his personal best in the javelin with a third round throw of 75.60m. Robinson has now thrown over 72.50m on three occasions in the last 14 days. More importantly the throw was the longest in the world this year by a junior.
Moe’s Raff Laurins won a double for the Australian team, claiming the shot put with a personal best of 18.64m and the discus event with a late charge, throwing 57.94m in the fifth round. Laurins is now top-10 in the world in both events.
Wagga Wagga’s Alyisha House continued her good recent form which included an Australian U18 record last weekend, with a leap of 13.05m to easily win her event.
Sally McLellan was Australia’s highest point scorer with two individuals wins and a leg on the victorious 4x100m relay. McLellan was just outside her seasonal best in the 100m running 11.65 and clocked 13.49 into a headwind in the 100m hurdles.
The men’s 800m lived up to expectations with a very close battle between World Junior top-6 hopes Britain’s Tom Lancashire and Brisbane’s Werner Botha. At the end, just 0.12 seconds separated the pair, with Lancashire the victor.
Former Russian, Katrina Miroshnichenko vaulted 3.80m to win her match. Miroshnichenko has only joined the team in Manchester after travelling to Europe in early June where she competed and trained in Germany with her farther and coach Sergey.
Another World Junior finalist hope, Simon Wardhaugh had a solid throw in the hammer with a third round distance of 70.36m. Men’s team captain, John Thornell was a comfortable winner in the long jump with a three leaps over 7.60m and a best of 7.65m.
Other personal bests were recorded by Sharmaine Motuliki in the shot with a putt of 14.07m, steeplechasers Aleisha Anderson (6:44.37), Pippa Hendon (6:49.67) and Jayden Russ (5:46.25); 5000m walkers Adam Rutter (19:55.35) and Lisa Grant (23:35.52); Sean Wroe 400m 47.18; Simon Wardhaugh shot (14.86m) and Annabel Thomson shot 12.68m.
The Australian team travel to Italy today (Monday) and have an opportunity to compete in three local meets this week, before the World Juniors commence next week.
David Tarbotton for the IAAF
