Inside Athletics

In a day dominated by B-qualifiers, Ryan Gregson and Collis Birmingham rose above the rest on the track with A-qualifiers whilst Petrina Price and Dale Stevenson did similar in the field.

Gregson was in a league of his own in the men's 1500m, finishing two and a half seconds ahead of Beijing Olympian Mitch Kealey with a run of 3:37.35. The performance was a Tasmanian all-comers record and just over a tenth of a second outside of his personal best set last year.

"It would be great to make the team and I know this will put me in good stead,? said Gregson, who last weekend set a B-qualifier and personal best of 1:47.06 over 800m at the Hunter Track Classic.

"I?d probably have to say the 1500m," he said when asked which event he saw his future lying.

"It?s not the mile anymore but, it?s pretty close to the mile, and in Australia especially, the mile?s got so much history with John Landy and Herb Elliot.

"I just want to bring back that history for Australia and keep running well over 1500m."

Juniors Jordan Williamsz (3:44.27), Kane Grimster (3:45.80) and Brett Robinson (3:46.46) all set world junior qualifiers in finishing lower down the field.

In the 5000m Collis Birmingham ran away from a good quality field to win in a meet record of 13:24.62.

"I?m pretty happy, it?s the fastest I?ve run here in the four years that I?ve won it so I guess I?m a bit fitter than last year and previous years and I?m happy with the direction I?m going,? Birmingham said.

Behind Birmingham, Ben St Lawrence (13:38.73) and Michael Shelley (13:39.59) were just short of the B-qualifier of 13:38.00. The story was similar in the women's race, which was taken out by Eloise Wellings in a B-qualifier of 15:35.37, with Benita Willis (15:48.64) and Lara Tamsett (15:49.35) falling short of the B-qualifier of 15:45.00.

In the field Dale Stevenson continued his consistent season so far, recording another A-qualifier and 19 metre plus throw with a best of 19.23m, whilst Petrina Price equalled her season's best and the A-qualifier with a best clearance of 1.90m. Behind Price Western Australia's Ellen Pettitt recorded her first B-qualifier with a jump of 1.86m.

Other athletes to record B-qualifiers were the trio of Gabrielle Neighbour (63.63m), Karyne Di Marco (61.57m) and Bronwyn Eagles (60.94m) in the hammer throw; javelin throwers Laura Cornford (55.60m)and Jarrod Bannister (76.25m), in his return to competition following injury; and 400m hurdler Lauren Boden (56.66s).