Inside Athletics #12 April 2010 by Inside Athletics

athletics inside

ISSUE 12 APR 10 www.insideathletics.com.au

FLYING HIGH

FEMALE HIGH JUMPERS ON THE RISE

ALEX ROWE

OUR NEXT 800M STAR?

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT SALLY

THE RETURN OF SALLY MCLELLAN

PLUS:

NIPPING AT THE HEELS: JAMES NIPPERESS MORE THAN A FLASH: BROOKE STATTON FEELING ATHLETIC: JARROD BANNISTER

VISIT WWW.INSIDEATHLETICS.COM.AU FOR THE LATEST NEWS

it has been an interesting athletics season Interesting, of course, being a polite euphemism that can cover so many peculiarities. There’s so many that it is hard to know where to start, but some of the leading candidates include: - A poorly structured season that left an abyss between the higher profile meets of the year and the nationals - Poor crowd attendances across the domestic season - A head to head clash of meets with the Hunter Track Classic and Brisbane Track Classic - A total disinterest in the sport from the mainstream media, to the extent that two major newspapers (The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian) now see no reason to employ a specific athletics correspondent

welcome

Yet, the things that the majority of us are passionate about – the performance of our athletes – goes from strength to strength. Two world indoor champions in Steve Hooker and Fabrice Lapierre and what looks destined to be the largest athletics team ever to leave Australia’s shores when the Commonwealth Games team is selected are testament to the talent and resolve of our athletes in spite of the problems the sport faces. We’ve tried to capture a snapshot of that talent in this edition. It would have been easy to fill our pages with tributes to Steve Hooker or Fabrice Lapierre as our latest world champions, but we’ve decided to spread our coverage more to the tier of athlete below: those who aspire, have the talent, can achieve great things, but unfortunately are not going to receive the mainstream media coverage we feel they deserve. One thing the astute observer may notice with this edition is that we have virtually been able to rely on our own collection of photography in putting this issue together. Some of this is in part due to the professional quality of images by Chris Lew, who has joined the Inside Athletics team this season. To look at our full editorial collection of photos, which now numbers more than 3000, visit www.insideathletics.zenfolio.com . You can even buy copies of photos for personal use! See you around the tracks!

Tim McGrath

www.insideathletics.com.au

Inside Athletics is an independently owned and operated online magazine which is editorial in nature. Unless otherwise noted, the opinions expressed in the magazine are those of Inside Athletics and do not represent the official views of Athletics Australia.

athletics inside

ISSUE 12 apr 10

inside this issue

4 AROUND THE TRACKS 6 GEAR TO GO

7 THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT SALLY 10 FLYING HIGH 14 ALEX ROWE 16 JARROD BANNISTER 18 NIPPING AT THE HEELS 22 MORE THAN A FLASH 27 THE LAST LAP

10 www.insideathletics.com.au

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AROUND THE TRACKS Usain Bolt: Mutant Esquire magazine – Luke Dittrich

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In just two years, he has demolished the 100 metre world records with times that are superhuman — literally thirty years ahead of what they historically should be. So what if the greatest athlete alive decided to actually get serious? READ MORE! Image by Chris Lew

Aussie athletes sunk by red tape The Daily Telegraph – Mike Hurst As if there weren’t enough barriers placed in front of amateur athletes, new Sydney mum Hayley Butler qualified for the Commonwealth Games in the 100m hurdles at the ACT Championships only to have her time and title rubbed out READ MORE! because she forgot to check in before the race. Gosh, Josh is running hot, even without his spikes The Herald Sun – Jackie Epstein Dual Stawell Gift winner and former Olympic sprinter Josh Ross has joined popular male strip group Hunkmania.

READ MORE! Tamgho ‘calms down and does things properly’ IAAF – Laurence Dacoury At the World Indoor Championships 20 year old reigning world junior champion from France, Teddy Tamgho, became not only the gold medallist but also the world indoor record holder in the men’s triple jump.

READ MORE!

JUMPING AT SUCCESS!

After dominating the qualifying round with an Australian indoor record of 8.19 metres, Fabrice Lapierre produced the goods in the final of the long jump at the world indoor championships, claiming the gold medal with a fifth round jump of 8.17 metres.

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Gear To Go

and accesories The latest products ADIDAS MICoach

Adidas’ miCoach integrates three commonly used running aids to deliver a cutting edge training system for runners. Combining a heart rate monitor, pedometer and mp3 player, the micoach is able to provide runners with real time audio feedback on their training session, taking some of the guesswork out of whether your training session is achieving its intended goal. www.adidas.com/us/micoach/ Karhu - finland’s legendary running shoe

As far as shoes are concerened, every distance runner has their particular brand. If you’re a Nike person, then you’ll always buy Nike, similarly, if Asics is your preferred shoe, then you’re always going to favour them. It’s kinda like the whole Ford versus Holden thing! Well, every now and then another product comes along that makes you think twice. Maybe it’s something as simple as the style, or possibly word of mouth, whatever the cause, it can be a wakeup call that leads you to a whole new world of running comfort. That was the case when a couple of pairs of Karhu shoes came across my desk. First impressions were that they looked great. Not just from a style perspective, but also from a build quality angle. The shoes are very well constructed and while offering plenty of support and comfort, they are relatively lightweight. This reduced mass hasn’t lead to a reduction in the durability or stabiltiy of the shoes, which is often the case. In actual fact, they are designed to enhance running efficiency and comfort, with a fit and ride that suits almost any runner. They will soon be avalable in Australia, so be sure to visit www.karhu. com.au for more information and details on where you can buy them.

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There’s Something About Sally There’s something about a champion athlete that sets them apart from the rest. It’s that je ne sais quoi quality that is unteachable, uncoachable and almost undefineable. But whatever it is and however one acquires it, there is no doubt that Sally McLellan certainly has it. It has been clear to everyone for a long time that McLellan has that rare drive and determination which turns an otherwise pleasant, sociable young woman into a being with an ice cold stare of focus. It has lifted her to highs, such as an Olympic silver medal and given her motivation in times of heartache, such as falling at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, or only finishing fifth after an injury setback at last year’s world championships when she took the fastest season’s best into the meet. Spectators at the Sydney Track Classic saw Sally at her best - perhaps not physically - but as the ultimate competitor that she is. Hampered

by flare ups of a back injury which will likely plague her for the rest of her life, she hasn’t attempted to clear a hurdle since the world championships last year, and only decided to compete at the meet after successfully testing herslef the week before at her home track on the Gold Coast with a run

of 11.54 seconds for the 100m. Her main competition was Melissa Breen, who has been clocking solidly fast times since late last year. Yet, there was absolutely no way that McLellan would even consider losing to an Australian. It hasn’t happened for over three years. On

There will be a new name on Sally’s bib next year, with her changing her name to Pearson following her recent wedding.

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the night, Breen started well and against most other athletes would have held on for the win. But not against Sally; she lifted and as the professional she is, timed her dip at the line to perfection for a hundredth of a second victory in 11.39 seconds.

The amazing thing over the final 30 metres of the race was that it was clear that McLellan was going to do it. Even though she was behind. With no disrespect to Breen, McLellan was simply a class above. Later in the night she backed up to take

the 200m out in 23.19 seconds. “I’m really quite surprised, I haven’t done any sort of work to be able to back up like that. I think it is my inner competitor that got me there tonight,” McLellan said after the 200m. “I went into the 200m

In a perfectly timed dip at the line McLellan took victory from Melissa Breen

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feeling really sick because I was so scared. I was so nervous going out there and thought that I couldn’t do this, but I was already on the blocks. I didn’t know how I was going to run but I knew that I’m a really good bend runner, so all I had to do was get them on that bend and I knew I had them.” Yet despite the fear of the event, McLellan sees it as the best option for her in the future to couple with the 100m hurdles. “I want to do the 200m and hurdles at the Commonwealth Games if the program permits,” she declared. “I’ve got more potential in the 200m than in the 100m I think. I can continually run 11.4 and 11.3 in the 100m but can’t consistently run 11.1 like all of the European and American girls can do, so I don’t think that I can match them. “In the 200m just after nationals last year I ran a windy 22.66 with a 2.1 m/s wind, so I think when I am in good shape that I can definitely beat that.”

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Flying High! Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s female high jumpers are having a resurgence within their ranks. In fact, the event has more athletes who have achieved Commonwealth Games qualifiers than any other female track or field event. The total is now five after a sensational Sydney Track Classic, which saw Zoe Timmers and Trudy Thompson achieve the status that Petrina Price, Ellen Pettitt and Amy Pejkovic had attained earlier and which the former two also achieved at the meet. It sets up an enticing selection trial in Perth next month. Pettitt and Timmers will have a home ground advantage over the New South Wales trio, but anything could happen. In reality, regardless of her performance at nationals, Price is bound to be selected after a strong domestic season on the back of her personal best and NSW record of 1.94m in the lead up to last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world championships. Yet the competition and rivarly is something which she is

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Image by Chris Lew

trudy thompson age: 20 pb: 1.86m

PETRINA PRICE AGE: 25 PB: 1.94M

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thriving on. “I always go into a competition thinking that the girls are always going to jump their personal bests. By me thinking that it also pushes me a little bit harder and higher as well,” she said after the Sydney Track Classic. “It was a phenonmenal competition – I think that there are five of us now who have qualifiers. It is going to be a great trial.” Global high jumping is dominantated by Eastern Europeans, none of whom contest the Commonwealth Games. So for Price the goal of winning her Xth national title is no anywhere as alluring as the real possibility of Commonwealth gold for the Wollongong based athlete. She was ranked second in the Commonwealth last year behind Spencer Lavern from St Lucia, who cleared 1.95m. It is little wonder then that the same mark is one of her primary goals. “The first goal is 1.95m,” she said before lowering her voice to an almost hushed tone. “The goal after that... it’s a secret.”

amy pejkovic age: 17 pb: 1.86m

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zoe trimmers age: 20 pb: 1.87m

Ellen pettitt age; 23 pb: 1.91m

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The Rowe Less Travelled

He’s been touted as the next big thing in Australian 800m running. It’s a label that other athletes – perhaps equally as talented – have had before and failed the live up to. But the approach to success which Alex Rowe is taking may prove to be the difference. Alex Rowe gave a glimpse of things to come when he toed the line at his debut appearance at the Melbourne Track Classic. Most 17-year-olds would be content with just getting a start in

such a race, especially one so prestigious to include the fourth fastest man in history over the distance, David Rudisha. There was undoubtedly some the satisfaction of gaining a start in Rowe’s mind,

Rowe represented Victoria at the Australia Cup and held his own against more experienced competitors to place second.

and of being cheered on by schoolmates from St Kevin’s College, but also the burning desire to compete well and hold his own. On a night that was dominated by the class of Rudisha during his one minute and fortytwo seconds spent on the track, and which heralded breakthough runs by a number of Australian’s – Ryan Gregson (1:46.04), Tristan Garrett (1:46.66) and James Gurr (1:46.76) – it would have been easy to miss the strapping figure of Rowe back in sixth place. Yet a review of the results sheet shows a sensational 1:47.56 for the young Victorian, a performance that would have ranked him the 11th fastest junior in the

athletics thletics 15 world in 2009. Yet, unlike many in his position previously, eager to conquer the world, Rowe has chosen the road less travelled, choosing to bypass participating at the this year’s world junior championships. In an inspired decision which shows his maturity, Rowe, along with his coach Justin Rinaldi, a former national champion and walking encyclopaedia of all things 800m, have decided that a year focused on

medicine. If I completed that I would have options afterwards to go into physio or optometry or something else health related,” he elaborated. “The secondary reason is that I haven’t had a real good winter (of training) yet. I’m really looking forward to getting a few k’s under my belt and putting together a solid winter.” With such a focused head on such a strong body, the future of Australian 800m running looks destined to heavily feature Rowe. Athletics Victoria caught up with an excited Rowe following his Melbourne race.

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academia and long term development will best serve his future interests. “The primary reason is year 12. I am in year 12 at school this year and obviously education takes priority over running. I’ve got one shot at being a year 12 student, I’ve got many years after that to be a good athlete,” said Rowe, who hopes to pursue study and a career in the health sciences. “There are two course that I have in mind; either physio, or bio-

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Jarrod Bannister says: “I feel like an athlete now!”

There are few things more difficult for an athlete to go through than entering a competition as the top ranked competitor and

come away outside of the major places. It is even more difficult when that competition is the Olympic Games. Welcome to Jarrod

Bannister has been enjoying competing during the Australian Athletics Tour

Bannister’s world in August, 2008. Bannister had set an Australian record in the javelin at the national championships five months earlier, sending the 800 gram implement soaring 89.02m. The mark wasn’t surpassed during the year until Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen, the reigning Olympic champion, stepped up to the runway in the fifth round of the Olympic final and sent the javelin to a gold medal winning 90.57m. By that stage of the competition Bannister was out of the running for the medals, injuring his elbow and ultimately finishing in sixth place. It’s been a long rehabilitation for the 25-year-old Queenslander, who has since relocated to Victoria where he is now being coached – in

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from what I used to do,” Bannister said. “There’s a lot more emphasis on being an athlete rather than just lifting weights and throwing. “I’m feeling really good, my body is feeling fantastic at the moment. My main thing at the moment is just staying healthy. If I can stay healthy I will be able to put the results on the board.” He has started well, improved power and technique will with throws of 81.15m hopefully see bannister extend his PB at the Sydney Track Melbourne to coach person rather than via Classic and 81.32m Bannister. correspondence – by the next week at the “The goal for Jarrod javelin great Uwe Hohn Melbourne Track Classic. is Commonwealth gold under a trial program and then a medal in the Both performances are initiated by Athletics just outside the top ten next Olympic Games, Australia’s high that’s got to be his target. marks he has recorded performance manager during his career. He’s already been sixth Eric Hollingsworth. “I’m feeling faster “It’s a six-month pilot at an Olympic Games so and more explosive and he’s got to go up from where we’re going to I haven’t even done there and that’s why see how it all works the investment has been all of the training that out and then see where I supposed to. I’m not we go from there,” made.” said Hollingsworth Bannister has seen and doing any running or jumping training yet – of bringing Hohn, felt the difference in his basically it is just general who threw the old training already. training, the right specification javelin an “Training is going amount of explosive almost unfathomable really well. It has training to make me feel 104.80m in 1984, to completely changed like an athlete.”

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By Liam Riddings

Nipping at the Heels James Nipperess already boasts a list of personal best’s that are enough to turn most senior middle distance runners green with envy: 1:49.69, 3:41.03, 8:06.11, and 14.04.33. He is no stranger to junior success and is now looking to take it to a new level in his first year of senior competition. To say that Nipperess – affectionately referred to in athletics circles as Nipper - is unlucky would be an understatement. In any other generation he would have been the stand out performer, but in an era of strong juniors with Ryan Gregson (1.47, 3.37, 7.57), Richard Everest (8.00, 13.49) and James Kaan (1.47, 3.44) stealing the limelight, James’ success has gone relatively unnoticed. James isn’t worried about the lack of

attention though, rather he is excited to be a part of such a strong generation of runners. “Good competition brings out the best in all of us. We keep each other hungry. It’s easy to get ahead of yourself and think you’re on top of the world as a junior but when guy’s your own age are beating you it’s a reminder that you’ve still got a long way to go,” he said. Nipper first trained for distance running under the guidance of running legend Albie Thomas, a two time Olympian and world record holder in the golden age of Australian distance running in the 1950s. Thomas got in contact with Nipper following the 2003 Australian all school championships, where James won a close affair in the under 14 1500m in 4.26. The victory was Getty Images most impressive given

James’ only training for the event came in the form of school sport. “Albie’s focus was always on technique and he made sure things were kept fun and interesting,” Nipperess said. In June 2008 James moved to the Ken Green stable, joining more experienced athletes such as Jeremy Roff and Jeff Hunt. “My workload has increased dramatically. I’ve gone from being the best athlete amongst a squad of juniors to being right at the bottom of the ranks amongst guys like Roff and Hunt, my two main training partners.” The squad has helped Nipper develop as an athlete. “The one percenter’s are a lot easier to get done when you see how professional Jeff and Jeremy are in their approach to training.

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Nipperess relishes the hard hill sessions at Falls Creek

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It’s inspiring to see what ‘regular guys’ can do when they are dedicated and persistent.” The positive environment has helped Nipper to stay relaxed at training. “We’re all good mates which makes training a lot easier. Although we all want to beat each other, we also realise how hard we all work and enjoy seeing each other do well.” The rewards came

quickly for Nipper as he recorded victories at the 2008 NSW short course cross country championships and the 2008 de Castella 3000m. “The de Castella 3km was my first big race under the guidance of Ken. I lined up for the race as one of five or six guys who could potentially win so it was a great result. I came away from the race with a renewed confidence.” The 2009 NSW 5000m

Image by Chris Lew Nipperess dons the mostly white uniform of Sydney University, where he is studying physiotheraphy

championships was a breakthrough performance. Nipperess went into the race with a 5000m best of 15.27, nearly two minutes slower than some of his more favoured rivals: Australian representative Scott Westcott, training partner Jeff Hunt and Tim Rowe. Nipperess looked comfortable the whole race as pre race favourites Rowe and Westcott dropped out of contention. He surged past training partner Jeff Hunt with 200m to go to record his first open state title. In the process obliterating his PB to run 14:04.33 and better the qualifying

athletics thletics 21 standard for the World Junior Cross Country. “The race was unreal. I went into that race hoping to test my fitness after a good training block at Falls Creek. I had never been ahead of Jeff (Hunt) in a training session so to be ahead of him at the end of twelve and a half laps at a state title was very unexpected.” Nipper was unable to back up this performance at the World Junior Cross Country selection trial the following month. “The trial was disappointing. I ran the first half of the race feeling good. The wheels came off in the second half; I still don’t really know what caused it. Off that race I knew I couldn’t be selected, if you stuff up at the trial then you have to cop it on the chin.” Nipper has ambitious goals for the next 12 months. “I know my PB may seem a little way off on paper, but I

Nipperess strides to the line for a comfortable win at the NSW club championships

am optimistic about qualifying for the 2010 Commonwealth Games”. The competition will be stiff for Nipper as he tries to qualify in the 1500m against the likes of Jeff Riseley, Ryan Gregson, Collis

Birmingham and training partner Jeremy Roff. In the longer term Nipper is looking to qualify for the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, Korea and then the London Olympics in 2012.

By Tom Nickson

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More than a Flash In elite sporting ranks there is a continuous search for the next big thing, a star on the rise or raw talent that will be the future of a code. With success so young, the stars of talented juniors burn hard and bright, and so often come the end of their teenage years are little more than a flicker of

potential that promised so much. Tom Nickson takes a look at why Brooke Stratton doesn’t look like following the same path. Looking at athletics’ underage record books, the names that produced such impressive performances so young have repeatedly disappeared into

There are a number of ingredients needed to be an elite long jumper. Firstly, focus.

obscurity almost as fast as they emerged. With ten state underage jumping records to her name, and set to represent Australia for a second time at just 16 years of age, Victorian jumper Brooke Stratton, is one talented junior that intends to buck this trend. With a family and support structure that would make most envious, there’s no reason to think she can’t transform junior potential into long term senior success. One of four children, Brooke followed her older brother Jamie to Little Athletics at age four, and has been hooked ever since. Moving through the underage ranks, Stratton made the athletics fraternity take notice aged 15, with an impressive four gold medals (U16 long jump, triple jump, 90m hurdles, 200m hurdles) at the

athletics thletics 23 2008 Pacific Schools Games. Subsequent gold medal hauls at last year’s Australian Youth Olympics Festival (U18 long and triple jump) and Australian All Schools Championships (U17 long jump, triple jump, 100m hurdles), and a finalist at the 2009 World Youth Championships, confirmed the Knox jumper as a talent to watch. At last month’s Australian Junior Athletics Championships, Stratton re-wrote the Victorian records books three times over, breaking her own U18, U19, and U20 long jump record on her way to the under 20 women’s long jump crown. With a best of 5.98m after four rounds, Stratton exploded with a clutch fifth attempt, leap frogging rival Tara Whitehead into the competition lead, following the Queenslanders impressive 6.22m effort just moments prior.

“I had no choice but to believe in my ability if I was going to better her (Whitehead’s) jump,” said Stratton, who with her victory guaranteed herself selection for July’s World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada. “I probably wouldn’t have jumped that 6.30m if Tara hadn’t jumped 6.22m before me. I love a challenge.” Entering the competition with a handful of world junior qualifiers to her credit, and recording the year’s leading junior leap of 6.24m just weeks prior at the Victorian Youth Track & Field Championships, Stratton was well aware that all eyes were on her. “I guess there was pressure on me, as people expect me to win. I was standing on the runway shaking, but just knew I had to get the jump out.” Stratton’s new personal best in Sydney vaulted herself amongst the upmost echelon

Then, speed on the runway.

of the country’s female jumpers. It’s a concept she still finds hard to fathom. “It is pretty amazing to think that I am ranked third in Australia this year, and also a bit weird when you put it in perspective. Jacinta Boyd is the best and she’s 24. I’m only 16,”

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was spent playing football or cricket. It was through his children’s involvement in Little Athletics that he reacquainted himself with the track. “It can sometimes be the best thing, and other times the worst,” remarked Russell of his relative newness to the elite junior coaching ranks. “It gets to a stage where you start questioning yourself Followed by explosiveness. – ‘am I doing the right thing?’ Then you see the “I love training with said Stratton who late improvements. Dad, he doesn’t push me last month added the “Some people Victorian open women’s too hard and knows my want to stay as Little boundaries - what I can long jump title to her Athletics coaches, and I and can’t do. It’s good lengthy list of 2010 could have easily done to have someone (as a accolades. that, but as Brooke coach) that knows me “Most of the girls I’m progressed, I wanted to jumping against now are really well as a person go with her. I wanted to at university or working, and as an athlete.” learn as much as I could. and here I am in year Unlike many “I’ve been pretty eleven at school. It’s a bit of his coaching fortunate that I’ve had crazy.” contemporaries, some great mentors Russell doesn’t have Coached by her along the way. Craig father Russell, Brooke is an elite track and field Hilliard at the AIS, John thriving in the relaxed background. Never Boas at Ivanhoe, and competing in the sport and familiar training even Tom Kelly from beyond school, Stratton environment amongst Doncaster. They’ve been senior’s sporting life family and friends. great in pointing me in

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the right direction.” As far as mentors come, there is arguably none better than Craig Hilliard. Based at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, Hilliard has been the man behind the success of many of the nation’s best, including heptathlete Jane Fleming, race walking world champion Nathan Deakes, and Sydney Olympic long jump silver medallist Jai Taurima. According to Hilliard, Russell’s work with his daughter to date is hard to fault.

“Her progress has been really sound, and everything is heading in the right direction,” said Hilliard, who is Athletics Australia’s National Event Co-ordinator for walks, jumps and hurdles. While comparisons are hard to draw, Hilliard does note that aged 16, former open national record holder Nicole Boegman set the national junior mark of 6.55m, while Bronwyn Thompson, the only Australia woman to ever jump seven metres, had a best of 5.94m at the

same age. No one athlete develops the same. “In terms of her mindset, Brooke’s got very good attributes there, which is a big plus,” said Hilliard, adding that technically and physically Stratton is still quite raw, but has proven to be a quick learner. “She’s quite a natural jumper, and I think she has a very good feel for the event. She has very good awareness of where she is on the runway. “Working closely with Russell, we’ll try to give

Whilst maintaining composure.

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her the guidance that hopefully can fast track her to where she wants to get to.” For Russell, it’s about combining the highperformance expertise and technical knowledge of Hilliard and other mentors, with his own flair to structure a program that keeps athletics fun. “You’ve got to think out of the square when you’re training, and kids just get bored so quickly that you’ve got to be creative,” said Russell, who includes a kick of the football and various high-paced games as one

of many cross training activities. Noting the pitfalls of regimented training and young bodies, Russell is keen to ensure that Brooke’s passion for athletics is still burning well beyond her teenage years. “She’s only a baby as well. Protection is the biggest thing. I think sometimes I’m over protective, but then you see a lot of horrific injuries to young kids because their parents just keep pushing them.” “We look at improving five or ten centimetres a year and she’s doing

that. We don’t want to jump 6.50m now and then struggle to ever get past that. It’s about consistency and consolidating.” That in mind, Brooke is eagerly awaiting her return to the green and gold this year, and a chance to improve her best, but more importantly take another step along what she hopes will be a long and prolific athletic future. “While I’m still young I just want to keep enjoying it all. I’ve been really lucky so far, and I just want to make this last.”

When it’s all done properly, a great jump results. To do it all properly under pressure, is what makes a champion.

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putting everything iNto it

They are the big men of athletics. Despite their size, or in part, because of it, they are the most explosive of all track and field athletes athletes. Shot putters. They don’t have the razzmatazz of the sprints or the death dfying antics of the pole

vault and don’t receive anywhere near as much attention. But ask most people who’ve had the opportunity to watch the event up close and personal rather than from a distance in the grandstands - a select few other than officials,

Dale Stevenson has been prolific in recording Commonwealth Games qualifiers this season.

fellow competitors and photographers - and they will tell you that it is consistently one of the most interesting events you can watch in athletics. There’s something about a 130kg man mountain stepping into a tiny circle of 107 centimetre radius, accelerating his body with more power than a sprinter leaving the starting blocks and sending a 7.26kg ball of iron as far as is humanly possible. But that’s just the half of it. The concentration and chanelling of emotion into a task which takes less than a second requires strength of mind just as much as will of limb. It is intriguing to watch. Take for instance, the new kid on the block in the event in Australia, the mild mannered Dale Stevenson. A primary school teacher

thletics 29 athletics

nonetheless. Like his housemate, Scott Martin, a gentle giant. And then see the transformation when he is near a shot put circle. Stevenson has improved a metre and a half in the shot over the past year, setting a Commonwealth Games A-qualifier of 19.65m at an Athletics Victoria Throwers meet in December. The 22 year old puts his improvement down to a change in coach and an increased focus on his discipline. “It’s a combination of factors. In January last year I moved coach; I’m now training with Gus Puopolu.

“The changes I made there, combined with another couple of lifestyle factors; I prioritised by athletics over other things that might have detracted from it in the past. “I think I always had the potential to throw well in the past but Gus has helped me realise that potential.” Stevenson is now looking ahead to the future and whilst the Commonwealth Games

are firmly on his mind he has some unfinished business for the domestic season. “20 metres is the goal. I would like to throw that before the national titles, if not, at the national titles. “That’s a major barrier and once that is done I will reassess. Although 19.66m is close, it is not quite 20 metres so I’m not going to pat myself on the back too much until I get to 20 metres.”

PLAY 4

The shot put is a combination of speed, strength and technique. Click the image above to watch Dale in action.

athletics thletics

from the gallery

Photography by Chris Lew

Vicky Parnov clears the bar in the pole vault at the Sydney Track Classic.

Young fans wait eagerly for autographs from Tamsyn Lewis.

thletics 31 athletics

Dani Samuels warms up for a personal best of 65.84m in the discus.

Steve Hooker focuses on the imposing height of the bar in the pole vault.

thletics athletics

We hope this athlete is on the way up!

thletics 33 athletics

The last lap!

With TIM MCGRATH

SHOULD THE IAAF MEET MOVE TO SYDNEY? For the second consecutive year the Sydney Track Classic has outshone its Melbourne counterpart. And that’s not just a jibe at Melbourne’s four seasons in one day weather. It’s an objective measurement provided by pre-eminent statistics service All-Athletics. All-Athletics’ competition rankings, which have been used at the highest level of the sport to evaluate meets based on athlete performances and the calibre of fields assembled, show that the Sydney Track Classic

has outscored the IAAF Melbourne meet both of the past two years. Additionally, Melbourne has not hosted a meet of the same calibre of this year’s Sydney Track Classic since 2007. There are other measures of how good a meet is, such as spectator numbers, yet it is too depressing for this writer to even contemplate the miserable numbers from this year’s meets – suffice to say that perhaps combined that the Sydney and Melbourne meets would have yielded numbers

suitable to mention. However, when looking to the future, spectator numbers, or rather, the capacity for them, is a factor worth serious consideration. Melbourne’s Olympic Park, after manouvering from the Victorian government and Collingwood Football Club, is on its last legs, with a new track at nearby Albert Park to fill its place after it is reduced to a training ground for AFL players. Yet the new venue, built on the site of the dilapidated Bob Jane Stadium, is anticipated

2010

2009

2008

2007

World top meet incomplete

94544 Zurich

93595 Zurich

93335 Brussels

Sydney

80631

81695

78796

78854

Melbourne

80164

80115

80454

81178

Next best Aust 75376 None listed Canberra

77647 Canberra

76806 Canberra

*Data courtesy of All-Athletics.com

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at having a maximum spectator capacity of only 10,000. Sydney’s Olympic Park has accommodated over 12,000 in the past in the lead up to the Sydney Olympics, with space for more and is well equipped for athletes and spectators alike, with a warm up track and a permanent video scoreboard. Additionally, Albert Park goes into a lockdown for weeks on end due to the formula one, meaning that Melbourne’s new venue may be unavailable when it is most needed. It might be optimistic,

perhaps even naïve, to think that in the near future that the sport will fulfil either its potential or the capacity of whichever venue the IAAF sanctioned Australian meet is held in. Yet there is one thing that is unescapable: something has to be done to reinvigorate domestic high performance athletics in this country. Athletics NSW took the bold move this year of taking a high performance meet into a regional area – even in competition to one held by Athletics Australia – with their Hunter Track Classic

and ticked all of the boxes they set out to achieve. The meet will return again next season. The approach no doubt has promise elsewhere – Queensland being a prime opportunity – yet worthwhile fiddling around the periphery of the domestic season isn’t enough. As much as anything else, moving Australia’s IAAF meet to Sydney would be a symbolic indication of a much needed new start for the sport, and perhaps with it a new future where athletics can enter the sports entertainment market.

The women’s 1500m field in action at the Sydney Track Classic. There have been occasions where no grass on hill in the background has been visible

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STOP the press!

STEVE HOOKER IS MORTAL Steve Hooker, arguably now Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest ever track and field athlete after adding the world indoor title to his trophy cabinet (Hooker holds every international championship title which is available to him: Olympic, World, Commonwealth, World Indoor and World Cup) showed his mortality when he contested the 129th edition of the Stawell Gift. Off a handicap mark of 5.5 metres Hooker started strongly but ran out of steam over the final 40 metres of the heats the iconic 120 metre event, which lived up to its reputation for controversy again this year with the track being 3.2 metres long during the heats. The Gift final was taken out by Canberraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tom Burbridge, who was ultimately fined $5000 for inconsistent performances in lead up event. Not that Burbidge would be too worried - the $40,000 first prize and the estimated $100,000 his training stable collected from the bookies makes the fine relatively insignificant.

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