Sixth National Title for Mickle
The 89th Australian Athletics Championships were held in Melbourne over the weekend with three WAIS athletes securing national titles.
Highlighting the WAIS charge was Kim Mickle – who claimed a sixth Australian javelin championship, whilst Ellen Pettitt won the women’s high jump, Russian born pole vaulter Sergey Kucheryanu won his event and Madison de Rozario starred with four titles in the wheelchair racing events.
Mickle has been a dominant force in women’s javelin for the best part of a decade, and following a recent personal best at the Sydney Track Classic, it came as no surprise when the 25 year-old Commonwealth Games silver medallist heaved 59.39m to take gold and another national crown.
With a 2011 World Championships A-Qualifier already in her possession, Mickle has now confirmed her place on the Australian Flame team for the Daegu, South Korea event in August. Mickle won ahead of Victorian Kathryn Mitchell (57.72) and NSW’s Laura Cornford (57.00).
With reigning women’s high jump national champion Petrina Price out through injury, the competition was left to WAIS athletes Ellen Pettitt and Zoe Timmers, who went head to head in an absorbing battle for the 2011 title. It was Pettitt – who has recently relocated to Melbourne for training opportunities – who came out victor, with a season best clearance of 1.83m. Timmers earned silver on count back ahead of Emily Crutcher after both girls had cleared 1.80m.
Bejing Paralympian Madison de Rozario was one of the stars of the track after the diminutive sprinter won national titles in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m wheelchair events, to go with silver in the 1500m to cap off a five medal performance.
de Rosario had surgery to her spine in 2010, and has returned in terrific form in 2011 to show she will be a major medal threat next year in London.
In the men’s pole vault, WAIS athlete Sergey Kucheryanu claimed victory with a best clearance of 5.40m, to win ahead of Joel Polkington (5.10m) and Stephen Cain (4.95m).
WAIS sprinter Ben Offereins has relinquished his grasp on the men’s 400m crown, after young gun Steven Solomon caused an upset, pushing Offereins into silver. Offereins stopped the clock at 45.88, marginally behind the 18 year-old dasher (45.58), whilst third went to John Steffensen (46.41).
In the women’s pole vault, WAIS athlete Ellen Pearce cleared 3.70m for fourth place, shot put athlete Matt Cowie was tenth heaving 13.95m and Shannon McCann ran second in the women’s 100m hurdles behind star of the meet Sally Pearson – who claimed the 100m, 200m and 100m hurdles triple.