Record Watch | Para Sprinters to light up Brisbane Track Classic

From Paralympic champions to rising stars, the 100m Para races at the Brisbane Track Classic are set to deliver a masterclass in speed as the world’s biggest names continue to land Para sprinting under international spotlight throughout the 2023 Chemist Warehouse Summer Series.

Building on the success of the Men’s 100m Para contest at February’s Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Level Meet, star-studded fields will take to Saturday’s Brisbane Track Classic – a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Level Meet.

An all-Australian affair in the Men’s 100m Para is spearheaded by Paralympic champions Evan O’Hanlon (T38, Iryna Dvoskina) and James Turner (T36, Iryna Dvoskina), while Commonwealth Games silver medallist Jaydon Page (T47, Sebastian Kuzminski) is ready to bolt to the next level after an Australian record of 10.95-seconds in Melbourne.

“My coach and I were jumping up and down, giggling like kids in a chocolate factory. Hopefully I can back it up, I am absolutely waiting for that 10.8 run but my goal is to really be consistent at this level,” Page said.

“Melbourne was a really cool experience to be a part of, especially with all the kids coming out. It was honestly a treat, that’s the dream for us.”

Seed times indicate that the 18-year-old Page is the hot favourite for line honours with the Canberra product laying down a scorching sub-11 personal best at the Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne, while Turner has demonstrated the form to produce a winning percentage score on the BASELINE system.

“I treat my processes like a big Games. I am racing Paralympic sprinters and when you have guys like Evan O’Hanlon and James Turner, you have to treat it like a Paralympic race. I am going to put some aggression into it,” Page said.

Turner will be on world record watch after coming within 0.08-seconds of his own T36 world record of 11.80-seconds in Melbourne, with the Paralympic champion over 400m and 800m eager to upgrade his Tokyo Paralympic 100m silver to gold at Paris in 2024. One man who is not of Paralympic success is O’Hanlon, with the seasoned veteran leading the way for years on end for the youth including Page:

“As athletes we need to mentor the kids coming through, that’s the way they did it with me – Evan really grabbed my hand and said ‘come with me’ and the coaching staff obviously. It’s good where it’s out now but we can always get better,” Page said.  

The field is bolstered by Ari Gesini (T38, Sebastian Kuzminski)  Alexander McKillop (T36, Rosemary Coleman), Anthony Jordan (T47, Tony Marsh) and James Tirado (T13, Andrew Murphy) in what promises to be a rapid showdown.

The Kiwi Paralympic duo of Tokyo 100m bronze medallist Danielle Aitchison (T36, New Zealand) and long jump champion Anna Grimaldi (T47, New Zealand) will set the benchmark in the Women’s 100m Para bout, with the Australian duo of Rhiannon Clarke (T38, Danny Kevan) and Ella Pardy (T38, Danny Kevan) set to lead the chase.  

Tokyo Paralympian Alissa Jordaan (T47, Sebastian Kuzminski) and Commonwealth games representative Indiana Cooper (T38, Rowan Vergano) add further international experience to the field, while 18-year-old Mali Lovell (T36, Katie Edwards and Melinda Gainsford Taylor) has posted a series of 2023 World Para Athletics Championships qualifiers and an Australian record this season.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 24/3/2022