Kane Brigg has triple jumped to number five on the Australian all-time list while Sally Pearson has recorded swift times in the 100m and 100m hurdles on the opening day of the Australian Athletics Tour final in Perth.
Brigg, 23, improved his personal best by over half a metre with a jump of 16.97m (+1.1 m/s). The Queenslander is now just 23 centimetres short of the world championship A-qualifying distance of 17.20m.
“My season has started pretty slowly but the result tonight is just awesome,” Brigg said.
“I will head home from here and celebrate a little bit before a big shift in focus to Nationals in two week.”
On the track it was Olympic silver medallist Sally Pearson who delivered the highlights of the night. Pearson clocked the fastest 100m time by an Australian in Australia with a run of 11.20 seconds (+0.5 m/s) and later in the night recorded a solid 12.85 seconds (+0.6 m/s) in her season debut in the 100m hurdles. However, such is the perfectionistic personality of Pearson, she was not entirely satisfied with her performance.
“I don’t know why 11.10 isn’t coming in the 100m, I got out of the blocks strong and expected a little quicker tonight to be honest,” Pearson said.
“I know I can run quicker than I did tonight and it’s just a matter of making it happen I suppose. “Coming back to the hurdles was great though, it’s always been my preferred event and despite good results in flat sprints this domestic season it will be my focus for world champs.”
Pearson’s performances did secure her a total of five bonus points in the Australian Athletics Tour point score in the sprints category, leaving an unenviable situation for her rivals if they want to claim the $10,000 first prize ahead of her. Lauren Boden is the only athlete with a realistic chance, but will need to run faster than 55.16 seconds and defeat Jana Rawlinson in the 400m hurdles, while hoping that Pearson does not run faster than 22.80 seconds in the 200.
Lewis in prime position to take out Australian Athletics Tour distance title
Winning performances from Jeff Riseley and Kaila McKnight have done little to improve their chances of winning the distance point score, with neither athlete scoring bonus points for the quality of their performance.
Riseley took out the 800m ahead of Lachlan Renshaw in a time of 1:47.95, while McKnight won the 1500m in a tactically run 4:21.51. The performances were slower than the 1:47.78 and 4:15.74 required to score a bonus point, leaving both athletes on a series total of 20 points. On the strength of her 8:58.46 3000m from the Hunter Track Classic McKnight will finish ahead of Riseley on a tie-break.
The lack of bonus points leaves the door wide open for Tamsyn Lewis to claim the distance crown. In what is likely to be an anti-climatic conclusion to the competition, all that is required for the former world indoor champion to move her total to 21 points is to win the 800m in a time under 2:04.24. Lewis’ season best, set at the Melbourne Track Classic, is 2:01.50.
Season’s best for Samuels
Reigning world champion Dani Samuels sent the discus to a season’s best of 62.20m. Although granted wild-card entry to this year’s world championships under IAAF rules, the performance was Samuels’ first world championship qualifying performance.
“It’s so good to have a qualifier next to my name, I know I don’t need it but to have one is just so fantastic,” Samuels said.
“I still need to improve my series but with consistent bigger throws that will come.”
Samuels’ performance clarifies what is necessary for javelin thrower Kim Mickle to take out the throws title, with the West Australian only needing to win her event with a throw in excess of 51.45m to take the $10,000 prize.
In the men's discus Australian record holder Benn Harradine opened his outdoor season with a throw of 62.76m.
Watt vs Lapierre clash to highlight second day
As soon as Mitchell Watt commences his run-up in the men’s long jump today he will be $10,000 richer, as he has a virtually insurmountable lead in the jumps point score following his world top-4 leap of 8.38m at the Sydney Track Classic. However, despite outclassing the other jumpers so far during the domestic season, Watt is by no means assured of a win in today’s event, with world indoor champion Fabrice Lapierre making his season debut. The last time Lapierre competed in Perth, at last year’s national championships, he soared to a wind-assisted 8.78m. If conditions are favourable and legal, the duo could challenge Jai Taurima’s national record of 8.49m.
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