Perth Track Classic Preview
The Australian Athletics Tour roadshow continues on Saturday night, as Australia’s best athletes and a bounty of international stars head west to entertain a new contingent of fans at the Go for 2&5 Perth Track Classic.
The culmination of a big week of athletics in Western Australia that has also included the Australian Junior Athletics Championships, the Go for 2&5 Perth Track Classic is the second of three showcase events on the Australian domestic calendar in 2013.
“It has been a remarkable week of athletics here in Perth. We have welcomed 1667 athletes and their families at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships which is the most ever at the event, and this weekend we will enjoy world-class athletics in what looks like ideal conditions for track and field,” Wayne Loxley, Athletics Western Australia Chief Executive, said.
“Athletics Australia and Athletics Western Australia are very fortunate to receive such fantastic financial support from the Western Australian Government through Tourism Western Australia and Healthway and we are confident this relationship will continue to strengthen. It’s a great privilege to be able to bring such fantastic events to the region and we look forward to again hosting the Go for 2&5 Perth Track Classic back in 2014, and the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in 2016.”
The men’s long jump in Perth is tantalizing as Australian record holder Mitchell Watt (Qld) and the man that beat him to gold at the London Olympic Games GregRutherford (GBR) take to the runway alongside Commonwealth and World Indoor champions Fabrice Lapierre (NSW) and Ignisious Gaisah (GHA).
Watt was one of three Australians to win a medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games, with his international resume also including the 2011 Diamond League title, two IAAF World Championships medals and the Australian and Oceania record of 8.54m. He will compete off a full run-up for the first time in 2013 this weekend, and his start is his first in Perth since leaping 8.21m to win at the Perth Track Classic in 2011.
Rutherford is the British long jump record holder and he joined Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah as a winner of gold on what was dubbed ‘Super Saturday’ at the 2012 Olympic Games. Only two weeks ago, he was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) with his appearance in Perth a pre-cursor to further competition at the Qantas Melbourne World Challenge next month.
In the men’s pole vault, the Australian, British and American record holders of Steve Hooker (WA), Steve Lewis (GBR) and Brad Walker (USA) will all take to the runway, while in the women’s event Australian record holder AlanaBoyd (Qld) will face-off with 2012 Olympic debutant Liz Parnov (WA) and IAAF World Youth Championships bound Nina Kennedy (WA).
Lewis was the best of the men at the Sydney Track Classic last weekend with a 5.55m leap, with Hooker and Walkerseeking redemption. Boyd’s start is her first in Perth since returning to her home state of Queensland and Kennedy starts in stunning form after improving her personal best by 16 centimetres to win the under 18 national crown earlier this week.
The leading ladies of Australian throwing will also compete in the field, with 2009 world champion Dani Samuels (NSW) and seven-time national champion Kim Mickle (WA) starting in the women’s discus and javelin respectively.
Samuels launched her Qantas Australian Athletics Tour campaign with a stunning six-throw series that included fiveIAAF World Championships A-Qualifiers in Sydney. Her performance was her best since a Samsung Diamond League event in Doha (QAT) in May 2010, and her second biggest in Australia behind the personal best (65.84m) she set in 2010.
Mickle was equally impressive. A 62.53m to close out her series at the Sydney Track Classic delivered the IAAF World Championships finalist an IAAF World Championships A-Qualifier and her fifth best ever throw.
On the track, the short sprints feature Australia’s fastest men including Australian 100m and 200m champion Josh ‘the Boss’ Ross(Vic), IAAF World Junior Championships silver medallist Nick Hough (NSW) and 2012 Olympic debutant Tim Leathart (NSW).
Leathart arguably starts as favourite in the men’s 100m after he lowered his personal best to win in style at the Sydney Track Classic last weekend, and a week of training alongside Australia’s most well known sprinter Matt Shirvington.
The Australian contingent will be joined by Calesio Newman (USA), who agonisingly missed the American Olympic team by 0.01 seconds last year, and Japanese duo DaikiGoto (JPN) and Seisa Kusuno (JPN).
The battle that begun in Sydney last weekend in the one-lap hurdles also continues, as Australian Flame and Olympic semi-finalists Lauren Boden (ACT), Brendan Cole (ACT) and Tristan Thomas (Tas) join international starters Jasmin Chaney (USA), Michael Bultheel (BEL) and Jeshua Anderson (USA) in a race for victory.
To view and download more information about the Go for 2&5 Perth Track Classic, please click here.
Tickets are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.
– Athletics Australia