Aussie Stars Ready to Set Off Fireworks in London

It’s amazing to think that there are now less than 3 weeks to go before the commencement of the IAAF World Championships in Moscow. Just as important is the fact that we now have less than a week before the AA selectors meet to name the Australian team for Moscow. Although we know many of the athletes that will be named in the final Australian team, there are still opportunities for some late qualifiers over the coming week.

The athletes still chasing qualifiers include:

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1. Steve Solomon (400m) – competes at the Maccabiah Games on the 24 July. Comes up against Donald Sanford (ISR) who has a PB of 45.21s and a seasons best of 46.19s, which should be some competition for Solomon as he pushes for a WCB qualifier of 45.60s.
2. James Nipperess (3000m steeple) – competes at this weekends Diamond League meeting in London, where he will be looking for a new PB and an important WCB qualifying mark of 8.32.00.
3. Youcef Abdi (3000m steeple) - unknown where his next competition will be, although did post a solid 8.35.79 in Finland on Sunday.
4. Hamish Peacock (javelin) – will have one last competition this weekend in Hobart, after previously throwing 79m in icy conditions last week when Tasmania was experiencing a cold snap.

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We also have James Kaan, Cameron Page and Liz Parnov in Europe, who have recently been chasing qualifiers for Moscow. Although it has been confirmed that both Kaan and Page will not be competing again prior to the July 29 deadline.

Nipperess will be joined in London by no fewer than eight other Australian track and field stars plus a men’s 4x100m team lead by Josh Ross. The full list of Australians competing over the 2 days of competition are:

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• Sally Pearson (100m hurdles)
• Kelly Hetherington (800m)
• Jackie Areson (3000m)
• James Nipperess (3000m steeplechase)
• Brandon Starc (high jump)
• Fabrice Lapierre (long jump)
• Kim Mickle and Kathryn Mitchell (javelin)
• Benn Harradine (discus)
• Men’s 4x100m – including Josh Ross, Tim Leathart and Anthony Alozie

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The men’s 4x100m will of great interest with the final squad for Moscow still to be announced (note: the final team will be announced after July 29). Many of our sprinters trying to force their way onto the squad have been competing in Brisbane (Mitchell Williams-Swain, Jake Hammond, Jarrod Geddes and Leathart). The latest competition on Saturday saw another close race, with only 0.07sec separating the top-4 athletes:

Men’s 100m (wind: -0.2)
1 Leathart, Tim 24 Nsw 10.49
2 Geddes, Jarrod 19 Nsw 10.50
3 Hammond, Jake 22 Nsw 10.52
4 Williams-Swain, Mitchell 21 Gcv 10.56

The important note to make out of the race was Hammond defeating Williams-Swain, although a week prior (see below) Williams-Swain defeated Isaac Ntiamoah – who is also in contention to be part of the 6 man squad for Moscow.

Men’s 100m (wind: -0.9)
1 Leathart, Tim 24 Nsw 10.51
2 Williams-Swain, Mitchell 21 Gcv 10.59
3 Ntiamoah, Isaac 31 Nsw 10.62
4 Mccabe, Andrew 23 Int 10.69

Then to throw even more confusion into the mix, Hammond was able to defeat Geddes at the DownUnder meeting on July 7 – running 10.54s (-0.1) to Geddes (10.57s). Hammond also recorded a very solid 10.45s (-0.2) in his heat at the same meeting.

Then you can’t totally discount Nicholas Hough – who ran 10.53 (+0.3) (heat), 10.47s (-0.4) (QF) and 10.50s (-0.2) (SF) at the World University Games. Although Hough was only the 6th Australian across the line in the final of the 100m at the National Championships , which could also play it’s part in the naming of the final squad for Moscow (note: In Sydney, Hammond missed the final and Alozie also missed after being DQ in his semi final).

2013 National Men’s 100m Final (wind: -1.3m/s) – 13th April
1. Joshua Ross AUS 9 Feb 81 10.34s
2. Tim Leathart AUS 22 Sep 89 10.40s
3. Joseph Millar NZL 24 Sep 92 10.42s
4. Jarrod Geddes AUS 24 Feb 94 10.43s
5. Mitchell Williams-Swain AUS 5 Jan 92 10.46s
6. Isaac Ntiamoah AUS 10 Mar 84 10.49s
7. Nicholas Hough AUS 20 Oct 93 10.55s
8. Tom Gamble AUS 25 Nov 91 10.57s
9. Patrick Fakiye AUS 1 Feb 91 10.62s

Alozie recently ran an impressive 10.39s (+0.4) in Bottrop, Germany (July 19), so would be one of the favourites to make the squad based purely on recent form. So if you add Alozie to the already named athletes of Ross, Leathart and Geddes you have two spots left open – which will be contested between Williams-Swain (PB of 10.25s set this year in Melbourne), Jake Hammond (PB of 10.49s and has returned to the track in good form after hamstring issues), Isaac Ntiamoah (PB of 10.35s and SB of 10.40s) and Nicholas Hough (PB of 10.39s set this year in Melbourne).

Then just to throw in a final wild card, we have the 2012 Olympian in Andrew McCabe – who ran the final where Australia placed 7th in 38.43s (after previously equalling the Australian Record of 38.17s in the heats). In London the order was Alozie, Ntiamoah, McCabe and Ross, a quartet that could easily be joined by Leathart and Geddes to make the final squad for Moscow.

Harradine Back in the Mix

Looking at the remaining Australians in action at the London Diamond League meeting (July 26-27), there is one athlete who is again shining in Europe after some indifferent form over the previous month. Harradine returned to form recently in Gavle, Sweden with an excellent throw of 66.29m. The throw was his 5th best throw of his career, and was clearly his best throw since his incredible 68.20m Australian record performance in Townsville back on May 10.

Both Harradine and Julian Wruck will both be in contention to medal in Moscow, which will surely be one of the major highlights for Australia over the 9 days of competition. In London Harradine will be joined by the likes of Gerd Kanter of Estonia, Piotr Malachowski of Poland and German star Martin Weirig. All three athletes will also be fighting for medals in Moscow, with Malachowski likely to be hunting for gold alongside world no.2 – Robert Harting. Below is the current top-5 performance listing for 2013:

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1. 71.84 NR – Piotr Małachowski (POL) – Hengelo June 8
2. 69.91m – Robert Harting (GER) – Hengelo June 8
3. 68.20m NR – Benn Harradine (AUS) – Townsville May 10
4. 68.16m – Julian Wruck (AUS) – Claremont June 1
5. 67.46m – Martin Wierig (GER) – Ostrava June 26

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ed. when was the last time we had two genuine chances for a medal in one individual event at a major championships? Lapierre/Watt in the men’s long jump at the 2009 World Championships, while our walkers (lead by Jared Tallent) have always been in the mix.

Areson Aiming Big in Women’s 3000m

On July 1, 2013 Jackie Areson officially competed under the Australian flag for the first time in her career. Five days later she had set a PB in the 5000m of 15.12.09 and in the process made her way onto the Australian team for the upcoming World Championships.

It’s been a great news story, and it will continue this weekend as Areson attempts to better her existing PB for the 3000m of 8.58.23 (set last year in Eugene, Oregon). Areson has already moved up to no.6 on the Australian all-time ranking list for the 5000m and if she could break 8.50.00 for the 3000m she would become the 6th Australian to better the mark for the event.

In London Areson will take on the likes of American Shannon Rowbury (PB of 8.31.38) and local hope, Stephanie Twell (PB of 8.50.89), in what should be a perfect lead in race for Moscow.

Mickle, Mitchell Up Against the Worlds Best

There will be no shortage of talent when the women line up for the javelin at the London Diamond League. When you look at the start list below you easily see that victory in London will require a throw in excess of 65m. With the likes of Mariya Abakumova and Christina Obergfoll likely leading the way, it will be of great interest to see where our Aussie stars in Mickle and Mitchell rank at the end of the competition. If both athletes can rank ahead of German Linda Stahl it will be a great confidence boost leading into the World Championships in less than 3 weeks time.

Another Quality Test for Pearson in London

On paper it looks as though 2013 has been a tough year for our Olympic and World Champion, but with every race Sally Pearson is making important steps forward in her attempt to defend her world title from Daegu in 2011.

In London Pearson takes on the likes of local hope, Tiffany Porter and American Kellie Wells, two athletes who defeated Pearson at the last Diamond League meeting in Monaco last Friday. Wells won’t be competing in Moscow, although another American in the field, Nia Ali, will be up against Pearson – having managed to place in the top-3 at the US trials where she also ran a PB of 12.48s.

Pearson has recorded times of 12.67, 12.73, 12.69, 12.76 and 12.75 since returning to competition in Ostrava on June 27. The times don’t look like much on paper but if you have been watching Pearson closely in her races, there have been positives – that all lead to Pearson delivering in Moscow. (ed. interesting to note that Dawn Harper-Nelson was also on the initial start list for London but has since been removed, while the 4th American who will be competing in Moscow, Brianna Rollins (12.26s AR), continues to steer clear of Pearson in the lead up to the World Championships).

So there you have it, another interesting weekend of action for our Aussie stars and an important stepping stone to the upcoming World Championships in Moscow. We will keep you posted on the final Australian team for Moscow, so stay tuned to what should be a fascinating week of track in field.

**Australian team update for Moscow – Collis Birmingham will now only run the 10000m in Moscow after missing out on qualifying in the 5000m. (528)