World Champs qualifier for Mitchell

With thanks to David Tarbotton and Ron Bendall - Athletics NSW

Olympic semi-finalist Morgan Mitchell (Vic) has clocked a World Championships 400m qualifying time of 51.96 at the Hunter Track Classic on Saturday night as she extends her unbeaten run on Australian soil to 14.

Five months on since Mitchell was a part of the Australian women’s 4x400m Olympic final team, the 22-year old’s first hit-out for 2017 was the sixth time she’s run sub 52 seconds and her fastest ever season opener.

The time means Mitchell will almost certainly get the chance to run at the London World Championships later this year in August.

“I’m happy to get the qualifier out of the way, obviously,” she said. “My coach thought it would happen, but I just didn’t trust it. I have been so under done in 400m training. For 350m I felt amazing and it could have been a PB, then over the last 50m I thought ‘nah’.”

Mitchell enjoys her excursions to the Hunter meet, saying “It is not far from the beach here so it’s my kind of spot”.

Elsewhere, the women’s 800 metres lived up to the pre-meet hype with the entire field running in a line over the last 100 metres. It was an extraordinary race with less than 1.5 seconds covering the field. The pace was set by 400m athlete Jess Stafford (NSW) who hit the bell in 60.44, with favourite Anneliese Rubie (NSW) second (61.1) and Olympic 1500m semi-finalist Linden Hall (Vic) in third (61.3). After Stafford left the track at 480m, there was not much movement amount the order. As they came into the straight there was a line across the track, which was maintained until the finish. Against the calibre of the field, which included three Olympians, the surprise winner was Lora Storey (NSW).

“I just wanted to win. It is the first 800m in a while that I have not been chasing a time and checking the clock at two and checking the clock at four,” said a very excited Storey. The 28-year-old has made a rapid rise over the last two years and was unlucky to miss a Rio qualifier last year.

Key to her success has been her positive approach.

“I thought well you know what ‘I’ve been training well, had some great fours, are healthy and really happy. There is no reason why I can’t run well – there is nothing stopping me.

“At 200m I was about fifth, I didn’t feel awful, but not great, but you feel like that at the bell. I kept saying I hurt but I have another gear. So on the final bend I was watching Linden’s yellow ribbon bouncing around. I remembered a race in Portland where I race her. So I was thinking slingshot past her. At the 100m mark I was thinking I’ve got third, I’m comfortable I’ve caught two, but I’m still moving I can go again. At the last of the crowd (about 30m to go) I thought I can win this – then I thought don’t get too excited.”

In second was Victorian 20-year-old Georgia Griffith who ran a PB of 2:03.88.

“I was a bit reserved on the first lap. It was nice to go into the second lap not too tired,” said Griffith. The quietly spoken former world junior finalist analysed why she ran a PB.

“Having the first lap a little more measured.”

It was a tremendous performance by Griffith who is graduating into the serious ranks nicely.

“It was great racing with the older girls and just trying to hold on to them. It was really good to see everyone so close.”

Australia’s third fastest 1500m athlete of all time, Linden Hall, was a strong third in 2:04.08.

“It was interesting stepping down to the eight. It is always a weird feeling. I’m not really sure what the pace is for it.

I definitely felt like there was a bit in the legs at the end and felt strong in the last bit. I didn’t fine an ideal pathway, but snuck past a few on the line.”

In the men’s 800m, Jordy Williamsz (Vic) fresh from four years at college in the USA held off the inform Jordan Gusman (ACT). Also of note in the race, was the quick 3:45.01 by Nowra teenager Jye Edwards (NSW) now training alongside Gusman in the Dick Telford squad.

National record holder, Alex Rowe (Vic) clinched the 800m race in 1:47.78. In second was Mason Cohen (NSW) who we are confident will improve on his national bronze and PB last April of 1:47.41. This summer he has already set PBs in the 400m and mile. Just 12 months ago he ran a PB here of just 1:49.49.

There was a surprise win by former NSW athlete, now Gold Coast resident, Liz Clay (Qld) in the women’s 100m hurdles.  She won by just one hundredth of a second over world university games finalist Abbie Taddeo (NSW) 13.63 to 13.64, run into a strong 1.8m/s second head wind. The beat teenager Bella O’Grady (NSW 14.05) and Olympian Michelle Jenneke (NSW 14.92) who pulled up over the last hurdle and jogged to the line.

“It was good to come out and race against these girls I knew it was going to be tough but I pull it off,” Clay said.

 â€œI’ve been running on my own in Queensland. I moved up to the Gold Coast about seven months ago to train with Sharon Hannon. When I decided to move I thought it was a great opportunity, I wouldn’t be stepping on anyone’s toes. I put everything into it. Last year I finished my degree in exercise since and then took a year off the settle in and I’m studying business this year at Griffith.”

Clay’s progress means that a ‘local meet’ in just over 12 months is an obvious goal.

“Living on the Gold Coast definitely helps with the motivation for the Commonwealth Games and it is definitely on the radar.

A strong two metres per second head wind didn’t allow for fast times in the men’s 100m, but nonetheless it was a great race between teenagers Nick Andrews (NSW) and Rohan Browning (NSW). Andrews had warmed up with 14.66 in the 110m hurdles which may had been the difference as he defeated Browning 10.55 to 10.58.

“Today’s race was not too bad,” Browning said. “There was a false start which everybody has to deal with. At the end of the day Nick just got out quick – ‘if you see the glutes on the man’. But seriously he got out quick and held the lead. I haven’t been used to chasing people and I’ve got to learn and better to learn now that at nationals.”

For Andrews he has the dilemma of which event to concentrate on, although he has been primarily training for the hurdles with coach Mick Zisti.

2015 World Championships representative Nick Hough (NSW) won the 110m hurdles into a 1.3m/s headwind. It was his first sub-14 second time of the season. Graduating junior, Jacob McCorry (NSW) ran well to clock 14.53.

The generous 250m ‘handicap’ for the women was too much for the men to close in the men’s and women’s 1500m wheelchair race. Rio Paralympian, Madi de Rozario (WA) won from Christie Dawes (NSW) and Jemima Moore (Vic) who was third. In the men’s Jake Lappin (Qld) just held off Kurt Fearnley (NSW) and American Josh George. In both divisions less than a second covered the place getters.

Other highlights:

·         Angus Armstrong (NSW) cleared 5.20m in the pole vault before misses at 5.35m.

·         Bella O’Grady (NSW) bounced back from her fourth place in the 100m hurdles to win the 200m in 24.20 into a 2.5m/s wind.

·         Rhys Stein (NSW) was just a couple of metres below his best with 74.30m in the javelin

·         Declan Pluim (NSW) who cleared a PB of 2.15m last week, had to settle for 2.05m in the Hunter.

·         Seriously impressive distances with the 7.26kg shot by youthful pair of Aiden Harvey (NSW), 16, and Alexander Koleshikoff (NSW), 15. They putt 16.14m and 15.43m respectively.