| Track & Field Athletics
Australia by Graham
Thomas |
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2003 Australian Championships PreviewThe
2002/03 Australian season is almost at an end. The National
Championships commence on April 3 at Brisbane's ANZ Stadium,
site of the 1982 Commonwealth Games. These titles double as
selection trials for the IAAF World Championships, to be held in
Paris in September.
The domestic Telstra A-Series saw a
number of breakthroughs by athletes such as Patrick Johnson, Jana
Pittman and Daniel Batman, while Bronwyn Eagles continued to excel
with new Commonwealth standards in the field. Athletes such as
Matt Shirvington, Clinton Hill and Sharon Cripps also showed
improvement in 2003 and will be looking to continue their good form
in Brisbane and beyond.
On the negative side, former world
stars such as Emma George and World Cup 3000m champion Craig
Mottram had their seasons ruined by serious injuries. Let's
hope these injured athletes can have a healthy season in 2004 and
regain their best form in the lead up to the Athens Olympics.
2003 National
Preview - for what they're worth - including world
rankings and 2003 performances.
Men's
National Championship - Preview of all Open track and field events - featuring:
- That HUGE
100m showdown - Five-time national champion &
record-holder Matt Shirvington defends his title against the
fastest man in the world this year - Patrick Johnson.
Let's hope Queensland is beautiful one day and +1.9 or 2.0 metres the
next! In truly helpful conditions, and after many years of
speculation, we might even see two Australians go under
10 seconds in the same race.
- The 400m decider - Daniel
Batman and Clinton Hill are both in scintillating form this year
- can the two of them crash the 44 second party in striving to become the
2003 National Champion?
- The inaugural 3000m title
- The crowd will be cheering for local hero Alistair Stevenson
but resurgent Victorian Mike Power and improving Mark Tucker,
along with a bunch of other chances, will by vying to win Australia's first ever national men's
3000m championship. Anyone running a sweep?
- The Battle of Brisbane -
All eyes on the skies as World Champion Dmitri Markov battles
with Westralian aerial ace Paul Burgess and the highest-flying
Australian vaulter in 2003, Viktor Chistiakov, in possibly our
strongest standard men's field event.
- It's the Pits -
Australia's star Long Jumpers will have to be at their very best
during the National titles to attain tough IAAF and AA selection
criteria for the World Championships. 1988 Commonwealth champion 'Postman Pete' Burge
is favoured to take the title, but Olympic silver medallist
'Jumping Jai' Taurima and local defending champion Tim
Parravicini will keep him on his toes. Still, these three
could all be upset on the day with a life-time best from one or
more of six dark horses.
- Not Starved for Success -
Australia's first world class male shot putter Justin Anlezark
has achieved many international honours in the last
twelve months but will be hungry for another Australian title in
Brisbane. Queensland's Commonwealth champion should make a
meal of his opposition despite improving performances from other
Aussie 'Hot Shots' in 2003.
Women's
National Championship - Preview of all Open track and field events
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- The 200m Mystery - Who
has the form and the health to win the 200m title this
year? Will it be defending champion Lauren Hewitt if she
can rebound from
recent injury worries? Is local girl Sharon Cripps going
to thrill the crowd with an upset? Can 100m ace Gloria
Kemasuode hang on and surprise everyone? Or will six-time
champion Cathy Freeman grit her teeth yet again and come home over
all of them? This mystery will self-destruct in just under
23 seconds...
- Those Unforgiving Two Minutes
- Tamsyn Lewis and Susan Andrews will battle each other and the
tough two minute barrier for 800m in attempting to guarantee
World Championships selection. As with Judy Pollock and
Charlene Rendina 27 years ago, the honest competition between
Australia's top two could even produce an Australian record
time.
- Jana takes on her greatest
rival - Australia's new star Jana Pittman will take on her
toughest domestic opponent - the clock - in the 400m Hurdles. In
the absence of any real competition, she'll be aiming to break
the national record in both the heat and the final of this
event.
- Hammering Away - Bronwyn
Eagles has been setting Commonwealth Records in the Hammer Throw
since 2000. Can she nail another one at the National
Championships? If not, she'll find Brooke Krueger, Karyne
DiMarco and former Commonwealth Champion Debbie Sosimenko
breathing down her neck.
Plus the
latest 2003 Rankings - for Men
& Women
Good luck to all the athletes
competing in Brisbane! - and sorry for most of those bad puns
;)
An unofficial, non-profit, just-for-fun, page but © 1995-2003 by Graham Thomas
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