Rio Dreams on the Start Line at Aus Athletics Champs

The 2016 Australian Athletics Championships will be held in Sydney from March 31 – April 3 and will provide track and field athletes with an opportunity to earn nomination for the Rio Games.

The Championships will pit 975 athletes, across 204 events with 82 gold medals up for grabs, however, it is the opportunity for athletes to advance their Rio credentials that will form greater interest at Sydney’s Olympic Park.

The main attention from a WAIS perspective, will be focused on the pole vault runway, with London Olympian Liz Parnov and former junior world record holder Nina Kennedy both flying the flag for WA.

The pair has yet to clear an Olympic A-Qualifying height (4.50m) over the domestic season but with Australian record holder Alana Boyd missing the titles with an ankle injury, the opportunity to win a national crown adds further intrigue to Saturday evening’s straight final, from 2.15pm Perth time.

Fellow WA athletes Vicky Parnov and Emma Philippe (WAIS) are also expected to be in medal calculations.

Brianna Beahan is one to watch in the women’s 100m hurdles, with the WAIS athlete in career best form over the summer season and steadily closing in on an Olympic qualifying standard that sits at 13 seconds flat.

With Sally Pearson still absent through a wrist injury sustained in the lead up to last year’s World Championships, Michelle Jenneke represents Beahan’s sternest rival for gold. The final is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, at 12.40pm.

In the women’s 400m field, Morgan Mitchell has been the form athlete all season, however, with Australia set to take a women’s 4x400m relay squad to Rio, the fight for the podium will be as keenly anticipated as the title itself. WAIS athlete Lyndsay Pekin will be looking to mount her case with a solid run. This final will be contested at 4.30pm on Saturday evening.

Dual Paralympian Brad Scott will look to mount his selection case in the 1500m, with the Bunbury born dasher a likely medallist in Friday’s final. The race is scheduled for 1.30pm. Madison de Rozario is another Rio Paralympic hopeful, with the Beijing and London representative competing in a range of events in Sydney. The WA born, NSW based athlete is considered a strong selection chance in the wheelchair racing squad where the 2015 World Champion will eye a third Games appearance for Australia.

WAIS athletes Zoe Timmers and Clare Gibson will compete in the women’s high jump final on Sunday morning, with the event scheduled for 11.45am Perth time. Eleanor Patterson holds top billing in the event.

In the men’s javelin, WAIS athletes Luke Cann and Cruz Hogan will compete for WA, with Tasmanian Hamish Peacock the top ranked athlete in the field.

In day one action, WAIS decathlete Jake Stein has accrued 2407 points after running 11.41secs in the 100m, measuring 7.21m in the long jump and heaving 14.72m in the shot-put. Day one competition, will also see Stein contest the high jump and 400m events. He is currently ranked second.

The Australian Athletics Championships are not the only selection opportunity for Australian track and field athletes, Athletics Australia can select athletes on discretion, with supporting A-qualifying standards and proof of fitness up until the end of June.

WAIS javelin thrower Kim Mickle, who is recovering from a shoulder reconstruction, will not compete at the Championships in Sydney but is still firmly in the selection frame for Rio.