PREVIEW | Australian Track and Field Championships – Day 7

More national titles and Olympic berths are up for grabs on Day 7 of the Australian Track and Field Championships, witha blockbuster schedule assembled for an enticing day of action on the track and in the field for Australia's best athletes. 

You can catch all the action live and free on the Athletics Australia Facebook and YouTube pages, or the 7plus app. 

Men’s Pole Vault (10:00am AEST):

Kurtis Marschall (WA) has made a habit of registering Olympic qualifiers this season and a national title would secure him an automatic nomination to the Australian Olympic Committee. The 23-year-old has proven to be a model of consistency, clearing well over 4.70m on several occasions. Marschall will be hard to beat in the event but his teammate Angus Armstrong (WA) will be one to watch, as he needs a healthy dose of ranking points to push his case for the Tokyo Olympics. It’s only a matter of centimeters for Armstrong and hopefully he can find them today.

Men’s Shot Put (11:25am AEST):

Damien Birkinhead (VIC) has long had his name written on this event but rising star Alexander Kolesnikoff (NSW) will be applying the pressure in pursuit of his first Open age title. Kolesnikoff registered 19.81m at the Melbourne Track Classic to defeat Birkinhead, who put the shot 18.95m on that occasion. Birkinhead’s season’s best stands at 20.48m and if he can emulate that form today he will be hard to beat.

Women’s Discus (1:00pm AEST):

Dani Stevens (QLD) will continue her build toward Tokyo, with the 2009 world champion showing no signs of a recent injury that threatened her career. Stevens threw 63.36m last month and recorded wins at both Sydney and Canberra Track Classics,  her first two hit outs after coming back from a debilitating neck injury. Two juniors who will be looking to follow in Stevens’ footsteps are Lyvante Su’emai (QLD) and Marley Raikiwasa (SA), who finished in first and second place respectively in the Under 20 event. Both threw World Under 20 qualifiers and will look to take the next step in the Open competition.

Men’s 3000m Steeplechase (1:22pm AEST):

The improvement in this event in the Australian ranks has been phenomenal. Ben Buckingham (VIC) headlines what will be a great race and with a season’s best of 8:27.38 he will have a target on his back. James Nipperess (NSW) broke through a long drought without running a personal best when running 8:31.97. Meanwhile the South Australian duo of Mathew Clarke and Max Stevens will be right in the thick of things in the lead pack. There will be a pacemaker in the race, so watch the clock as they cross the finish line.

Men’s Long Jump (1:30pm AEST):

Christopher Mitrevski (VIC) has a season’s best of 8.03m and an 8.02m in a separate competition to prove the leap was no fluke. Mitrevski has stepped up as Australia’s leading long jumper this season, with other top prospects struggling with injury. The return of Henry Smith (VIC) and Darcy Roper (VIC) will bolster the Australian long jump stocks, but on paper today’s competition looks like Mitrevski’s to lose.

Women’s 3000m Steeplechase (1:35pm AEST):

Genevieve Gregson (QLD) took home bronze in last night’s 1500m, but it’s hard to see her losing over the barriers in the 3000m Steeplechase. Gregson has long been renowned as the queen of the steeplechase and has done a superb job in leading through a talented crop of rising middle distance stars in Australia. The two-time Olympic finalist raced tactically at the Queensland Track Classic when taking the win and is set to dictate terms again here. Georgia Winkcup (NSW) and Cara Feain-Ryan (QLD) are among others who will contend for the podium.

Women High Jump (2:00pm AEST):

Nicola McDermott (NSW) will be jumping for an automatic Olympic nomination in the women’s high jump, granted that she can secure the national title. McDermott made a statement when clearing 1.96m in Canberra earlier this season, shifting talks from ‘if’ to ‘when’ regarding the elusive two-meter barrier. With the absence of Eleanor Patterson (NSW) who has had a troublesome run with injury, it will be a case of how high McDermott can raise the bar on her way to the national title.

Men’s Javelin (2:30pm AEST):

Keep your eyes on Michael Burian (VIC), who is hoping to throw a world record in the F44 classification, let alone a national record for the Coles Australian Record Challenge. Cameron McEntyre (NSW) and Nash Lowis (QLD) will also launch the 800g implement down the sector in pursuit of the national title.

Women’s 200m (2:43pm AEST):

Australia’s fastest women will line up over 200m, headlined by Riley Day (QLD) who recently clocked an Olympic qualifier of 22.77 in the event. Sohpia Fighera (VIC) is set to come into her own over her preferred trip and is having an outstanding season. Fighera is establishing herself as force in the Australian sprinting ranks and has improved out of site this year. Bree Masters (QLD) is on the start list after her impressive silver medal in the 100m last night. The star studded line up should make for an enticing final.

Women’s Long Jump (2:45pm AEST):

Brooke Stratton (VIC) will continue her search for the Olympic standard in the Women’s Long Jump, after showing promising signs throughout the back half of the season. Stratton is confident of the shape she is in and just needs to piece to together on the day to leap into the areas we have seen she is more than capable of reaching.

Women’s 100m Hurdles (3:00pm AEST):

Six of the top 10 fastest Australian women in history over the 100m hurdles will load themselves into the blocks and tear down the straight and over the sticks in what is set to be one of the most competitive events of the championships. Liz Clay (QLD) has been winning for fun this season, regularly breaking 13 seconds and establishing herself as one to watch ahead of Tokyo. Michelle Jenneke (QLD), Celeste Mucci (VIC), Hannah Jones (NSW), Brianna Beehan (WA) and Abbie Taddeo (NSW) will all be in contention for the medals in what should be one of the races of the day.

Men’s 110m Hurdles (3:10pm AEST):

Nick Hough (NSW) has been Australia’s premier hurdler this season and a national title would be a fitting finish to his domestic campaign. The only man who has gone close to Hough all season is Nicholas Andrews (NSW), who is more than capable of toppling Hough in the final after being agonisingly close on many occasions. Their rivalry has been a thrill to watch and is set to enter another chapter today.

Men's 1500m (3:20pm AEST): 

Stewart McSweyn (VIC) headlines the blockbuster affair which features former Australian record holder Ryan Gregson (VIC), Matthew Ramsden (WA) and rising star Jye Edwards (NSW). McSweyn is in rare company on the world stage and will relish the opportunity to practice championship racing – don’t expect an athlete of his caliber to leave things to chance. Ramsden has an Olympic qualifier locked away and will be racing in his trademark tenacious manner in pursuit of the win, along with Gregson who recently posted a much improved 3:36.72. Gregson boasts a wealth of experience and will punish any mistakes made by his competitors. Edwards has been the form runner of the season and will be well respected in the field as a major threat, as the 24-year-old continues his resurgence to the elite level. 19-year-old Adam Spencer (VIC) looked strong when taking the win in his heat and keep an eye on him to better his 3:39.94 personal best and contend with the big names. 

Women’s 800m (3:32pm AEST):

Catriona Bisset (VIC) had no troubles progressing to the final of the 800m, stepping on the accelerator with 150m to go to no reply from her competitors. Bisset has raced full of confidence this season to stamp her authority on the event, notably clocking her second Olympic qualifier of 1:59.12 at the Queensland Track Classic, with today’s final looming as just another race for the Australian record holder. Claudia Hollingsworth (VIC) raced aggressively in her heat to shake the field very early in the affair, switching it off and saving some cards for Sunday’s final. Bisset will not be leaving things to chance and her experience at the highest level holds her in good stead in this affair. Expect the two to finish in first and second place, with a tight contest for third between the rest of the field.

By Lachlan Moorhouse
Posted: 18/4/2021