Inside Athletics #5 June 2008 by Inside Athletics

YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO ATHLETICS IN NSW & BEYOND INSIDE

athletics ISSUE FIVE MAY 08

TOP10

AUSSIE FUN RUNS

ON ‘08 S A E S R E WINT LTS! ENT RESU C E R E H T L AL

MEET OUR

FUTURE

STARS

LAANSW

HIGHLIGHTS

PLUS:

4STATE ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS 4NOVICE CROSS COUNTRY 4THE LATEST NEWS & GEAR 4STAWELL GIFT 2008

AUSTRALIAN

MASTERS CHAMPS

SYDNEY HALF MARATHON

WORLD

CROSS

SUCCES

INSIDE

athletics

CONTENTS44 ISSUE 05 MAY 2008

4 Editorial 5 Performances of the Month 6 Athletics Shorts All the latest news & facts 7 Making Tracks Meet our future stars

PERFORMANCE OF THE MONTH 07

8 Gear to Go Products every athlete should have 10 World Cross Country The ‘08 season closes with a bang 14 Sydney Half Marathon Marty Dent and Eliza Stewart win 15 Aussies Overseas See how our elite athletes are going

MAKING TRACKS 10

16 Master Athletics Highlights A world record and Aussie Champs 18 Australia’s Top Ten Fun Runs Our pick of the road races

WORLD CROSS COUNTRY

22 Road Test We review the best shoes around! 24 Little Athletics News The next generation of champions

28 Stawell Gift History and a fun weekend! 32 State Road Champs A new course attracts athletes

SYDNEY HALF 28

STAWELL GIFT LITTLE ATHS

TOP 10 FUN RUNS 03 Inside Athletics

Welcome... Summer’s well and truly over and apart from a select few athletes competing overseas in preparation for or hoping to gain selection in the Olympic Games, the athletics scene on the home front is dominated at the moment by long distance athletes. EDITOR Tim McGrath

PRODUCTION David Byrne

PHOTOGRAPHY Getty Images, Dave Byrne, Tim McGrath, Kel Bradstock (Photos in a Flash)

EDITORIAL Tim McGrath, Darren Wensor and David Byrne

Produced with the assistance of:

The Rusty Cage *This publication is editorial in nature and does not necessarily represent the views of Athletics NSW

In a groundbreaking move the Road Championships were held as a fun run event in conjunction with Sydney Striders at Sydney Olympic Park. The initial concerns of a tiny minority prior to the race were dispelled when 550 athletes turned up to run over the fastest certified 10km course in New South Wales – almost double the number who competed last year and a wonderful base for the event to build on next year. A new crop of distance runners had their opportunity to make their names known at the Novice Championships a week prior to the Road Championships. The event is the traditional start to the cross country season and its success is a testament to the brilliant organisation and hard work of the St George District Athletics Club. It’s the dedication of such volunteers which provides opportunities for athletes of all abilities to enjoy the sport. But it is something that shouldn’t and can’t be taken for granted. Our sport, like many others, is suffering from a lack of officials. Over the coming months we will be exploring initiatives to encourage recruitment of further officials so that we can guarantee the high quality of athletics competition conducted by Athletics NSW. I encourage everyone with an interest in the sport to consider dedicating a little of their time each season to helping run events, whether at club or ANSW level. The enjoyment and feeling of putting something back into the sport is well worth it.

ATHLETES IN FOCUS

TOP PERFORMANCES OF THE MONTH JANE SA VILLE

The Olympic bronze medalist returned to sparkling form with a seventh place finish at the World Walking Cup in Cheboskary, Russia. The event is race Getty Imag walking’s es equivalent to the World Cross Country, but is held only every second year. Saville was content to sit in the second pack of the strong field and clocked a solid time of 1:29:27 – her second A-qualifier within the space of a month has rightfuly seen her added to the team for Beijing.

Blundell, 13, became what is believed to be the youngest ever winner at the NSW Novice Championships with her commanding win over 4km at Scarborough Park. Blundell, who competes for Cherrybrook Athletics Club, won by over a minute in a swift time. She has previously shown her pedigree over shorter distances, breaking Georgie Clarke’s Australian primary school 800m record in 2006 with a run of 2.11:16, as well as winning the event in the U14 age group last year at the Australian All Schools.

JENNY BLUNDELL

www.endura.com.au END2337 - 05/08

CHC50273 - 03/08

05 Inside Athletics

ATHLETICS SHORTS NSW TRIO PART OF NZ TRAINING CAMP

OLYMPIC PARK

Australian 1500m champion Nikki Molan, along with distance runners Lara Tamsett and Tim Rowe, were part of a six person squad of athletes to be invited to attend a New Zealand training camp organised by National Distance Coordinator Tim O’Shaunessey. The camp, based in Rotorua, was aimed at exposing the athletes to the experience of coping with travel and training in unaccustomed situations, as well as promoting cooperation with New Zealand athletes.

The Victorian government has decided that there is no longer a place for athletics within Olympic Park in Melbourne. Following pressure from the Collingwood Football Club (whom Athletics Australia Board member Eddie McGuire is the President of), the track which was used as the warmup track for the Melbourne Olympics and has been the spiritual home of Australian athletics since, will be removed when the stadium is reconﬁgured as a football training ground. A track will be laid within Bob Jane stadium two kilometres away. With a likely capacity of only 10,000, it may mean that future successful stagings of the Melbourne Grand Prix will sell out the venue.

NEW WEBSITES The following websites have been launched recently: www.lachlanrenshaw.com – website of Australian 800m champion, Lachlan Renshaw. www.runnerstribe.com – a distance running site launched by former NSW middle distance runner (now WA based) Sam Burke www.regionalathletics.org.au – a website maintained by joint Athletics NSW / Little Athletics Regional Athletics Coordinator, Caroline Cooksley, with information about the sport in the Hunter and Central Coast.

TO BE NO MORE

DON’T FORGET! The NSW State Cross Country Champs will be held in Nowra on 21 June, so make sure you put it into your diary.

BOLT FROM THE BLUE Jamaican Usain Bolt has recorded the second fastest 100m of all time by running 9.76s at the Jamaica International in Kingston. The 21-year-old’s run means that Jamaicans sprinters possess more of the fastest ten performances of history than their United States rivals.

Getty Images

06 Inside Athletics

100m All Time Performances 1 9.74 Asafa Powell 2 9.76 Usain Bolt =3 9.77 Asafa Powell =3 9.77 Asafa Powell =3 9.77 Asafa Powell 6 9.78 Asafa Powell 7 9.79 Maurice Greene 8 9.80 Maurice Greene 9 9.82 Maurice Greene =10 9.84 Donovan Bailey =10 9.84 Bruny Surin =10 9.84 Asafa Powell =10 9.84 Tyson Gay =10 9.84 Tyson Gay =10 9.84 Asafa Powell

JAM JAM JAM JAM JAM JAM USA USA USA CAN CAN JAM USA USA USA

Rieti, ITA Kingston, JAM Athens, GRE Gateshead, GBR Zurich, SWI Rieti, ITA Athens, GRE Seville, ESP Edmonton, CAN Atlanta, USA Seville, ESP Kingston, JAM Zurich, SWI Indianapolis, USA Brussels, BEL

9 Sep 07 4 May 08 14 Jun 05 12 May 06 18 Aug 06 9 Sep 07 16 Jun 99 22 Aug 99 5 Aug 01 27 Jul 96 22 Aug 99 7 May 05 18 Aug 06 22 Jun 07 14 Sep 07

MAKING TRACKS THE STARS OF THE FUTURE CELIA SULLOHERN 4 15-year-old Celia Sullohern is one of an emerging crop of distance runners hailing from the Blue Mountains. The Penrith High student trains with Australian 10000m champion Melinda Vernon and NSW U20 record holder Hollie Emery under coach Graham Heape. Sullohern has shown a lot of promise over longer distances winning the U16 3000m at the Australian All Schools in 2007 and streeting the ﬁeld in the U18 5km at the NSW Road Championships, clocking 17:50.

3RODNEY BLAIR Hailing from Cessnock in the Hunter area, Westlake’s Rodney Blair has improved dramatically as one of the inaugural members of Athletics Australia’s Jump Start to London 2012 indigenous program. The 18year-old has leapt from having a personal best in the long jump of 6.66m last season to jumping 7.50m this year, just missing the qualiﬁer for the World Junior Championships. Also possessing a 100m PB of 10.83s, Blair is expected to be named in the Australian team for the Commonwealth Youth Games in India in October. Getty Images

GREG JELOUDEV 4 At the recent GPS Championships UTS Norths athlete Greg Jeloudev, competing for the Kings School, made an important contribution to his school’s victory in the senior trophy. The 18-year-old took out the sprint double with impressive personal best clockings of 10.91s and 21.89s, as well as anchoring the victorious 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams. More known as a 400m runner, Jeloudev hopes that his recent improvements in the shorter sprints will help him lower his PB of 49.31s next season. 07 Inside Athletics

o g o t r a e g

cesories c a d n a s t c u d o r p t s e the lat 2XU COMPRESSION TIGHTS The outstanding performance of 2XU’s compression tights comes from two important factors: the quality of the fabric and the graduated compression ﬁt. After consulting elite athletes and national sporting institutions 2XU have produced a compression range that harnesses a high quality, high power fabric to give a longer lasting, better performing garment. Combined with a graduated ﬁt that is fundamental to remove waste by-products such as lactic acid and covered by a 12 month warranty, 2XU’s compression tights are essential for anybody who wants to recover and perform at their best. RRP $140.00 www.2XU.com

ENDURA REHYDRATION

REVIEW !

There are countless sports nutrition companies that claim to have the best formula for their beverages or supplements, and it’s hard for people to know which one is best for their needs. When it comes to nutritional products for endurance athletes one area of real importance is rehydration drinks. They play a huge role in maintaining hydration during an event and also in post event recovery. The Inside Athletics team tried the Endura range of rehydration powders and discovered that not oonly do they taste great, but unlike many sports drinks that claim to replace electrolytes and help you recover yet seem to leave you thirsty and longing for some water, the Endura Rehydration range were fantastic and had long-lasting effects which aided in performance and recovery. Visit www.endura.com.au for information and stockists.

LINEBREAK TIGHTS If they are good enough for World Indoor 800m Champion Tamsyn Lewis, then they are good enough for everyone! The LineBreak range of products not only look stylish, but combine comfort and function with their good looks. They are technically designed to fit perfectly and use gradient compression to improve circulation to muscles. This in turn speeds up recovery by dispersing lactic acid and providing more efficient flow of re-oxygenated blood to the muscles. During exercise, LineBreak products stabilise muscles from the dynamic forces that cause micro-tearing to muscle fibres. Another important factor is the moisture management technology that works with the bodies thermoregulatory system to warm or cool the wearer regardless of exertion levels and ambient air temperatures. Visit www.linebreak.com.au and check out the range!

08 Inside Athletics

BLADERUNNER

STEPS INTO BRAVE NEW WORLD South African double leg amputee Oscar Pistorius has taken a giant step in his dream to compete at the Beijing Olympics, with a recent Court of Arbitration for Sport decision ruling that the IAAF had erred in judging that the ‘Cheetah’ prosthetics he wears to compete were a ‘technical device… that provides the user with an advantage over another athlete not using the device’ under IAAF Rule 144.2(e), which would have rendered him ineligible to compete in able bodied competition. Pistorius, who holds a personal best of 46.56 seconds, is hoping to lower his personal best by a second in order to gain selection in South Africa’s Olympic team. Last year he finished second in the South African Championships, meaning that even if he doesn’t reach the qualifying time he may gain selection in the relay. However, due to his lack of agility he would more than likely be limited to running the first leg in the 4x400m. The two person panel of the Court of Arbitration for Sport laid down a stinging criticism of the IAAF in its decision, finding that the process which the IAAF put in place to determine whether his prosthetics contravened the IAAF rules ‘went off the rails’ and ‘fell

Getty Images

short of the high standards that the international sporting community is entitled to expect… from the IAAF.’ The Court found that ‘at least some IAAF officials had determined that they did not want Pistorius to be acknowledged as eligible to compete… regardless of the results that properly conducted scientific studies might demonstrate.’ The IAAF, when commissioning a study into the biomechanics of his running, directed the test protocols focus on Pistorius’s efficiency around his top speed. The 21 old does not have the same accelerative capabilities as able bodied athletes, and therefore, unusually compared to able

bodied athletes, runs the second half of his race faster than the ﬁrst. The Court found that Rule 144.2(e) should have been applied to determine whether Pistorius’ prosthetics gave him an overall advantage. As the study commissioned did not address that issue, it was found that the IAAF had not established their burden of proof, determined on the balance of probabilities. The Court left open the possibility for the IAAF to establish via further study that Pistorius’ prosthetics do provide an advantage, as well as stressing that similar future cases must be determined individually on their own merits.

BRONZED AUSSIES CONQUER SCOTTISH COURSE

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4Left to right: Melissa Rollison, Lisa-Jane Weightman, Anna Thompson and Benita Johnson. The team medal indicates great depth in Australian women’s distance running and boads well for the future.

Most runners understand what is meant by the phrase ‘the loneliness of a long distance runner.’ It is a hard and unforgiving choice of event, requiring the logging of thousands of kilometres of running a year, often alone. That’s why distance runners relish the opportunity to compete in team events – and there’s none more important than the World Cross Country Championships. Although the teams medals are decided from the results of the individual event, all but a select few have aspirations of personal success. With countries able to enter 10 Inside Athletics

up to six athletes per event (nine in the open men’s), a top twenty individual ﬁnish is an exceptional performance. Those distance runners who have donned a green and gold singlet will tell you that it lifts you into rareﬁed company, and being part of that company brings with it sacred obligations. Perhaps best epitomised by the marathon runners, where the slightest weakness is compounded by the grueling nature of the event, is the mantra that when wearing the green and gold that you never pull out of a race.

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4The muddy and

hilly course made the racing incredibly tough.

Although Australia has tasted individual success at the World Cross Country previously (Benita Johnson won the event in 2004), this year’s event in Edinburgh, Scotland proved a landmark: the first time Australia had won a team’s medal. The medal was a bronze, and was captured by the open women’s team, who collectively negotiated the boggy course better than any nation on the planet, save the powerhouses of Ethiopia and Kenya. The team, led by former world champion Benita Johnson, who bounced back to exceptional form to finish 11th after struggling three weeks earlier to finish 5th in the Australian trial, nudged out Great Britain for the bronze medal position. This made amends for the ironic position which occurred four years ago, where Australian born athlete Natalie Harvey was the last scoring member of the Great Britain team which took out third; had Harvey competed on that day for Australia they would have taken out the bronze medal. In the individual race to the line Ethopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba, the two time world cross country and world 10000m champion, ran to a five second victory over compatriot Mestawet Tufa. 18-year-old Kenyan Linet Masai was third. Kenenisa Bekele showed why he is regarded by many as the greatest cross country runner in history by winning his tenth title at the World Cross

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4Bekele followed Tadese closely before making a run for home in the

closing lap. His dominant run shows his Olympic campaign is on track.

Country Championships. The 25 year old Ethiopian showed his champion mentality, overcoming every runner’s nightmare when his shoe was dislodged early in the 12km race. Bekele maintained his composure, fixed his shoe and then almost effortlessly made up the approximately 100m deficit which the leaders had put on him. One can only wonder how the rest of the field, including Craig Mottram (Australia’s top finisher in

31st place) must have felt to have Bekele glide past them while they were struggling along the soft surface of the two kilometre loop course, attempting to hang on grimly to the leading pack after only seven minutes of the race. Bekele made his decisive move for victory on the ﬁnal lap, easily pulling away from Kenya’s Joseph Ebuya and the brave Eritrean Zersenay Tadesse, who had forced the pace for a majority of the race. 11 Inside Athletics

Getty Images

WOMEN Tirunesh Dibaba Mestawet Tufa Linet Masai

1st 2nd 3rd

25:10 25:15 25:18

Australians: Benita Johnson Lisa Weightman Melissa Rollison Anna Thompson Melinda Vernon Victoria Mitchell

11th 20th 26th 27th 41st 54th

25:56 26:37 26:50 26:56 27:23 27:57

4Ryan Gregson was the ﬁr st Aussie junior to cross the line. His 31 st placing was a solid run. Getty Images

JUNIOR RACES Ethiopia swept the medals and teams events, with their next generation of athletes proving to be just as formidable as those who have gone before them.

le to the ﬁnish.

4Leonard Komon trails Beke MEN Kenenisa Bekele Leonard Komon Zersenay Tadesse

1st 2nd 3rd

34:38 34:41 34:43

Australians: Craig Mottram Michael Shelley David McNeill Liam Adams Collis Birmingham Martin Dent Andrew Letherby Ben St Lawrence

31st 51st 69th 70th 74th 105th 109th 127th

36:40 37:09 37:41 37:41 37:49 38:31 38:35 39:02

St Lawrence, who improved dramatically last winter to place second behind Jeff Hunt in the Australian Cross Country Championships, as well as each of the NSW Championships, found his debut on the world stage particularly tough. Despite speeding through the first two kilometres in 5:32 (a quicker pace than his 5000m PB), St Lawrence found himself only midfield in 124th place. The early pace tired a number of similar calibre athletes from other nations, allowing St Lawrence to maintain his position as he toughed out the remaining five laps of the course.

12 Inside Athletics

MEN Ibrahim Jelian Ayele Abshero Lucas Rotich

1st 2nd 3rd

22:38 22:40 22:42

Australians: Ryan Gregson Richard Everest Duer Yoa Ashley Watson

31st 47th 54th 90th

24:28 24:57 25:05 25:58

WOMEN Genzebe Dibaba Irine Cheptai Emebt Etea

1st 2nd 3rd

19:59 20:04 20:06

Australians: Emily Brichacek Elise Clayton Tamara Carvolth Alexis McKillop

21st 24th 34th 54th

21:09 21:15 21:31 22:41

Getty Images

4The tightly packed open women’s lead gro

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BIRTH OF A NEW COURSE SUITS EXPECTANT FATHER The Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon is a highlight of every winter season. This year 7000 entrants enjoyed a great race. end of the field was down margin on the run home to win on previous years, with the by almost a minute and a half in a winning times in the men’s time of 76:16. and women’s events being the “I love the new course,” Stewart second slowest in the event’s told the Sydney Morning Herald history. after her victory. Canberra’s Martin Dent, who had the expected birth of his “I know it’s the same areas we go first child more on his mind around but starting and finishing than setting a fast time over at Hyde Park, the atmosphere is the undulating two lap course, fantastic.” regained the title which he won in 2006 by running away Stewart plans to contest the Gold from a Rohan Walker and Coast Half Marathon in July, which Russell Dessaix-Chin over incorporates the Australian Half the final half of the race Marathon Championship. to clock 65:00. Dessaix-Chin, the -Chin (8) shoulder 4Russell Dessaix . (1) nt De n rti first NSW athlete Ma th to shoulder wi across the line, took out the NSW title. Eliza Stewart A start and finish area at Sydney’s continued her great picturesque Hyde Park greeted form of late by leading runners who contested the 17th the women’s race running of the Sydney Morning from the outset. The Herald Half Marathon. The race, 21 year old built up which this year almost doubled a 30 second lead in size to X athletes, incorporated over the usually fast the NSW Half Marathon starting Melinda Championship. Vernon by halfway 4Eliza Stewart w Despite the increased numbers and increased her margin and show on the women’s race by a big this year, the quality at the front ed good early w inter form.

MEN 1 Martin Dent 2 Rohan Walker 3 Russell Chin 4 Erwin McRae 5 Colin Johnston 6 Jeremy Horne

65:00 66:18 66:39 66:50 68:54 71:02

WOMEN 1 Eliza Stewart 2 Melinda Vernon 3 Susan Michelsson 4 Glenda Banaghan 5 Jenny Wickham 6 Anita Keem

76:16 77:45 78:13 79:42 79:58 80:20

14 Inside Athletics

AUSSIES OVERSEAS Australian athletes have started their annual pilgrimage to the northern hemisphere for competition on the world stage. Amongst them are a number of athletes who have been named by the selectors as requiring a better level of performance (interpreted by many as the need to record an Olympic A-standard) in order to gain selection in the Beijing Olympic team. Former Newcastle athlete Benn Harradine is the best performed so far, smashing the 29-year-old Australian record in the discus by throwing 65.37m. The 25year-old athlete had only recorded one B-qualifying performances during the Athletics Australia qualifying period, before recording his breakthrough performance at a USA Track & Field Discus Development Meet in Chula Vista, California. Australian record holder over the mile, 2000m, 3000m and 5000m, Craig Mottram, couldn’t add the 10000m record to his collection when running to a two second victory at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational at Stanford in Palo Alto, California. Mottram clocked 27:34.48 ahead of Austrian steeplechaser Gunther Weidlinger. Mottram could not make up for the slow early pace (halfway passed in 13:58.1) to get close enough to Shaun Creighton’s 27:31.92 set at the Zatopek meet in 1996.

Collis Birmingham was Getty Images added to the Olympic team for the 5000m after a crushing victory against US collegiate opposition at the famous Mt Sac Relays. Birmingham clocked 13:21.12 to sneak under the A-qualifier by just under four tenths of a second to become the sixth fastest Australian all-time. Tasmania’s Donna MacFarlane won the 3000m steeplechase against a traditionally 4Benn Harradine sm strong field at the ashed the Australian disc us record in the Doha Super Grand USA. Prix Meet in Qatar. MacFarlane’s victory in 9:31.47 consisting was particularly poignant, as it of Adam Basil, Aaron RougeSerret, Isaac Ntiamoah and Josh came in the first race since the passing of her long time coach, Ross failed to finish in a crucial race at the Osaka Grand Prix. the highly respected Max Ross, who had only attended Cherry. two of the three days of the Jane Saville returned to some pre departure relay training of her best form in finishing camp, took off early, leaving seventh at the World Walking Ntiamoah unable to catch him. Cup in Cheboskary, Russia. With the selectors expecting a Nathan Deakes, who had high quality performance in to withdraw from the 20km order to sway their discretion Walk in the week prior to the to select a team to compete in event, had his world record Beijing, it is now likely that Ross in the 50km Walk obliterated will have to pin his hopes on by Denis Nizhegorodov. The Russian took 93 seconds off the gaining an individual berth in order to compete in the Chinese previous record. capital. Ross won the B-race of Despite Deakes’ absence, the the 100m in 10.41s, quicker than Australian quartet of Luke the A-race, in which Australian Adams, Jared Tallent, Chris record holder Patrick Johnson Erickson and Adam Rutter (who did not make himself won the bronze in the team’s available to compete in the relay event. in Osaka) finished second in a On a less positive note, an sluggish 10.55s. Australian 4x100m relay team 15 Inside Athletics

MASTERS HIGHLIGHTS

ip Photograph by K

Hobson

WORLD RECORD RELAY! A world-record 4 x 100m relay run was the highlight of the 36th Australian Masters Athletics Championships held at Blacktown Olympic Park from March 21-24. A composite quartet of NSW sprinters Ranell Hobson, Kylie Strong and Gianna Mogentale, with Queenslander Julie Brims, set a new mark

of 47.74 seconds, clipping nine tenths of a second from the W35 record set by a French team way back in 1989 in Eugene, Oregon. When the time was announced, the foursome were ecstatic to learn that their smooth baton changes and determination had seen them eclipse the nearly 20-yearold mark, bounding about and posing for photographs for several minutes after their record-breaking run. Also putting in a record-breaking performance was former Olympic and Commonwealth Games hammer thrower Karyne Di Marco, a newcomer to Masters athletics, who set three new Australian W30 records during the four-day championships: 56.30m in the hammer, 18.57m in the heavy weight throw, and 3828 points in the weight pentathlon. Nearly 500 Masters travelled from all over Australia and New Zealand to compete at the annual championships, which were last held in Sydney in 2001.

HIGHLAND FLING Masters multi-event athlete Lynette Smith of Girraween showed her prowess in events of a different kind at the annual Highland Gathering in Bundanoon in the NSW Southern Highlands in April. Lynette won four gold medals – in the shot put, haggis throw, weight for height and weight for distance events – to take home the Open Female Grand Champion Shield for 2008.

QUICK SILVER The UTS Norths quartet of Marie Kay, Caroline Layt, Janet Naylon and Jacqualine Bezuidenhout won a silver medal and set an inaugural Australian masters indoor record in the W40 4 x 200m relay at the Masters World Indoor Championships in Clermont-Ferrand, France, in March. The team ran 1:49.98. France was ﬁrst in 1:49.20 and Germany third in 1:50.62. 16 Inside Athletics

Photograph by Andrew Atkinson-Howatt

Australia’s top There are road races all around Australia that are highlights of the winter calendar, but not all of the best fun runs are as well known as the City to Surf. Here we take a look at what the Inside Athletics team have voted their ten best out of stadium events!

Fun runs are as important to the athletics calendar as any other event. While they might not inﬂuence selectors when it comes to Olympic and Commonwealth Games teams, their value lies in promoting the sport to the wider community. Apart from gaining airtime on television and page space in print media, fun runs inspire participation to those that would normally spend the weekend partaking in other activities. This has a ﬂow on effect, often motivating folks to improve their health, and in some

ide Adela y to Ba City 18 Inside Athletics

cases encouraging new people to join an athletics club. For those already in a competitive frame of mind, fun runs give them something to focus on beyond championship events. For coaches they are valuable tools where they can test the ﬁtness of their squad or use the races as steppingstones towards bigger events. When it all boils down to it, for the elite and non-elite, fun runs should be exactly that – Fun! As much as they are great for our top distance runners to test themselves and win trophies

fun runs! and prizes along the way, the most important thing is that the event is accessible to everyone in the community, from the ﬁtness fanatic or club athlete, to the mums with prams and families looking for a healthy weekend activity. The only exception to this rule is in the case of the Noosa Bolt. The reason for this is that it’s an event packed with entertainment, where Joe joggers might not get a start, but they can stand roadside and watch every moment of this intense 5km run unfold before them. Plus it’s the only road race held beneath lights, with a carnival atmosphere and sports expo providing athletes and spectators with plenty to enjoy. Another key factor for fun run success is good organization – pre, during and post event. Making it easy to enter,

Grea t Oce Road a Mara n thon

ourne Melb hon t Mara

knowing what to expect on race day and minimising confusion and fuss makes the whole experience a lot more pleasant – a good sausage sizzle or lucky prize draw is also important! The last point to keep in mind when looking at what we’ve selected as our top ten fun runs is location. As far as running real estate goes, location means everything. No matter how well organised an event is, or how tasty the steak sandwiches are, if the course is through an industrial estate or laps of an unsightly suburb, the appeal to strap on the joggers diminishes hugely.

When looking at our selection of fun runs it’s important that you keep in mind we’ve been as objective as possible. Everyone has their own personal favourites, be it for sentimental reasons or because a particular race is where they ran their PB. I for one would have the Kurrajong Bilpin Little Athletics Club Fun Run at the top of my list, because it’s a great event and in the area I grew up. But putting personal bias aside we’ve come up with a cracking list of fun runs, although I’m sure we’ll get plenty of emails that disagree with our choices!

Per th to S City urf

er’s Moth lassic C y a D ey Sydn

oast Goldc on th Mara

The fastest marathon and half marathon on offer in Australia, the Goldcoast Marathon brings the best Aussie and Japanese athletes together for a weekend of high intensity racing. The 10km event gives athletes a shorter option, but the highlight event is always the marathon. The expo is also a great addition to a well organised and fun competition.

19 Inside Athletics

Despite being limited to elite athletes, the 5km Noosa Bolt is a must for every distance runner. If you can’t gain an entry to compete in the race, it’s still worth heading north to spectate this exciting event. The multi-lap course is fast with tight turns and long straights, with the ﬁnal outcome usually not clear until very late in the race. There is a huge expo and a host of other sporting events, including a triathlon and cycling race, so for the ﬁtness fanatic it’s a feast of entertainment.

t a Bol s o o N

e Run Bridg

The only sporting event to close the Harbour Bridge to trafﬁc is the Sydney Running Festival, and the pick of the events is the 9km Bridge Run. Starting in the shadow of the bridge then making its way across this iconic landmark before winding through the city to the steps of the Opera House, there are few more amazing courses to run on. The post event recovery area, exciting atmosphere and watching the marathon winners cross the line all adds to the occasion.

The coastal city of Burnie in the north of Tasmania plays host to one of Australia’s fastest 10km road races. The course is fast and ﬂat, though plagued by wind, with stunning scenery adding to the friendly atmosphere of this community event. The top road runners all attend, looking for a share of the healthy purse on offer. For the social jogger the views, great organization and good spirit of the event makes is a fantastic day out.

ie Ten

Burn

City

to Su rf

It was pretty obvious which fun run would be at the top of the list. We couldn’t go past the biggest road race in Australia, and arguably the world. This iconic Sydney event starts beneath the high-rise buildings of the CBD and ﬁnishes at the beachside suburb of Bondi. The 14km course is challenging and spectacular, the atmosphere electric, and the level of organization ﬂawless. Add to this the amazing history of the event and you have the complete package. What’s more it has a live broadcast for those at home, and then there’s the post race results listing in the paper so everyone can see how they went.

ROAD TEST! We’ve taken the latest models from leading shoe makers and given them a thorough workout on the trails, roads and tracks of NSW. From the rocky ﬁretrails of the Blue Mountans to the fast surface at Homebush, these things have copped a thrashing - here’s our pick of the bunch!

ITY SHOE

BEST STABIL

ADIDAS - adiSTAR CONTROL 5 The adiSTAR CONTROL 5 proved its worth, copping a massive 1000km of pounding over two months, all the while providing great comfort and support with minimal wear. Despite their chunky appearance and higher than average weight, they feel fantastic and make the perfect shoe for anyone looking for something that will last and provide loads of stability on bush tracks. RRP $220

BROOKS ADRENALINE GTS8

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RAINER

LT BEST GENERA

Cushioning, comfort, durability and impact dispersion are important elements for any shoe, and the Brooks GTS8 have achieved the perfect mix. While offering a soft and ﬂexible ﬁt, they are perfect for a normal to low arched runner wanting something they can wear every day. If there were any shoe you could safely recomend to just about any runner, this is it! RRP $200

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NEW BALANCE - 768 The Inside Athletics team had a good look at the women’s 768 trainers and found them to be a top quality general trainer. They are very well built and will last longer than most other makes of runner, and the suitably femanine colours make them fashionable. The 768 is ideal for those with a low arch and looking for a stable shoe ideal for everyday training. RRP $170

22 Inside Athletics

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NEW BALANCE - 1001

SH BEST RACING

Keeping in mind that ultra-light training or racing shoes are really only for speed sessions and racing, New Balance have done a fantastic job in making the 1001. While minimising weight they maintain comfort and some stability, mainly due to a snug ﬁt. They are well constructed and will easily last a season of raod and cross country racing. RRP $160

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RAINER BEST LIGHT T

ADIDAS - adiZERO TEMPO Distance runners looking for an incredibly comfortable, light and stable shoe need look no further. The adiZERO TEMPO is a performance shoe ideal for runners with normal to high arches, looking for a shoe for speed sessions or racing. They offer loads of support and a snug ﬁt and can even be worn by slight athletes as a general trainer. RRP $180

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BROOKS - SWITCH When it comes to light weight training shoes you can forgive the fact that most of them wear out pretty quick. This particular shoe managed to outlast all but the adiZERO’s. They look great and feel fantastic, the tongue is a little short which causes some discomfort, but putting that aside they are deﬁnitely worth a look for anyone wanting a quality shoe for short runs and sessions. RRP $180

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EVERYTHING FOR THE RUNNING ENTHUSIAST!

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NEWS : INTERVIEWS : VIDEOS : ARTICLES : PHOTOS 23 Inside Athletics

LAANSW

STATE TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS 15-16 March saw approximately 1700 athletes and their families decend upon Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre for the 2008 Little Athletics State Track & Field Championships. 166 Little Athletics Centres were represented during the weekend with athletes coming from all over NSW to contest the event. Words by Darren Wensor, Images courtesy Instant Photos Australia.

For the first time Little Athletics embraced the use of photo finish and electronic timing, with the initiative well accepted by athletes, officials and spectators alike. Many thanks go to Athletics NSW representatives Janet Nixon, Andrew Matthews and Sue Stephens, who worked the system all day on both days of the Championships and

provided accurate results in startlingly quick times – often before the athletes had a chance to walk off the track! Despite the wet weather during the summer that played havoc with the preparations of many, the weather, although not ideal, was good enough for the carnival to provide many highlights.

RECORDS TUMBLE

Following an amazing two days of competition, Little Athletics NSW will submit eight new or equal Australian Best Performances (ABPs) for ratiﬁcation by Australian Little Athletics. Campbelltown’s James Connor and Hills District’s Nicholas Hough were the standout

Despite using photo ﬁnish, Little Athletics independently hand timed the winner of each race for record purposes. The time which will be recognised as the record is in brackets next to the ofﬁcially recorded time. Australian Best Performances were recorded by: James Connor James Connor Amy Pejkovic Nicholas Hough Nicholas Hough Maddie Pirie Filoi Aokuso

U15 U15 U15 U14 U14 U13 U12

800m 1500m High Jump 100m 90m H 200m Discus

1:57.49 (1:57.2) 4:04.04 (4:03.7) 1.80m 11.29 (11.1) 12.08 (11.8) 24.96 (24.8) 46.19m

As well as the above, another six performances equaled or bettered Little Athletics NSW State Records.

4Anna Laman smashed the U13 3000m record with 10.21:81.

24 Inside Athletics

Cameron Hyde Cameron Hyde Kurt Jenner Nicholas Hough Ella Nelson Anna Laman

U15 U15 U15 U14 U14 U13

100m H 200m H Long Jump 200m H 200m 3000m

13.05 (12.8) 24.28 (24.1) 6.90m 24.56 (24.4) 24.50 (24.3) 10:21.81 (10:21.5)

performers, both setting ABPs. Connor setting records in the 800m and 1500m, the former of which was previously held by World Youth finalist James Kaan. He also showed his leg speed by winning the 400m in 51.51s. Hough dominated the U14 sprints and hurdles, collecting four gold by winning the 100m, 200m, 90m Hurdles and 200m Hurdles; he set records in the shorter two events. While not breaking a record, the efforts of Thomas Soliman and Shane Nicholls in the Under 14 Boys’ High Jump are worth noting. The event attracted much focus from the grandstand as Soliman, of Blacktown Little Athletics, and Nicholls of the Kurrajong Bilpin Centre staged a wonderful battle above the bar. Both cleared a height of 1.90m, with Soliman winning on count back. Prior to attempting 1.96m (which would have surpassed the Little Athletics State Record set in 1995) Soliman had to leave the high jump to run the final of the 200m. He finished third in a time of 23.43 seconds, then had to quickly recover to make his final attempts in the high jump.

the athletes and spectators alike. The 100m event was a highlight of the weekend. All events were conducted utilizing the multi-disability format, which sees athletes with different disabilities in action on the track or in the ﬁeld together, but competing against a certain time or distance for their particular classiﬁcation. The events contested by these athletes were the 100m, the long jump and the shot put. Little Athletics NSW aims to see the participation on Athletes with a Disability at these championships continue and further expand over the next few seasons.

2008 STATE TEAM

The Little Athletics NSW State Track & Field Championships serves as the selection trials for the Under 13 athletes whom make up the team to contest the annual Australian Little Athletics Championships. (The Under 15 athletes named in the team are selected following performances at the Little Athletics NSW State Multi Event). The Australian Little Athletics Championships (ALAC) Teams Event is a one-day teams competition for Under 13 age group athletes in which each athlete gains points from events towards a total team point score. Athletes also receive medals for placings.

AWD HIGHLIGHTS

For the third consecutive year, Little Athletics NSW conducted invitational events for Athletes with a Disability at the State Championships. Seventeen athletes entered to contest these events which were much appreciated by

4Daniel Talevski was second in the U14 100m, long jump & triple jump. 25 Inside Athletics

4Tepa Lemi was second in the U14 girls shot put.

Each Association is entitled to send an Under 13 team of up to 22 athletes. Ideally this is made up of 11 boys and 11 girls, however this is not compulsory. The Australian Little Athletics Championships (ALAC) Multi Event is also a teams competition for Under 15 athletes. Each athlete competes in ﬁve events. A teams trophy and individual medals are awarded at the event’s conclusion. Each Association is entitled to enter up to two boys and two girls. Both events are conducted on the same day and at the same venue as part of the one championship. Following two preparatory team camps at the Sydney Academy of Sport & Recreation, Narrabeen, the NSW team traveled together to Melbourne on 23 April, to compete at the Australian Little Athletics Championships on Saturday, 26 April. For most athletes it was their ﬁrst taste of 26 Inside Athletics

competing interstate. New South Wales has a proud record at the Australian Little Athletics Championships, having won the overall team point score twenty-seven times since its inception in 1971. However, this year the home town advantage of the Victorian team saw them take out the title by a mere two and a half points: 705.5 to 703. Victories were recorded in the girls events by Maddie Pirie (100m in 12.2, 200m in 25.4), Amy Bettiol (1500m Walk in 7:00.3), Melissa-Maree Farrington (80m H in 12.5), Rachelle Grodze (Shot Put in 12.49m, Discus in 40.79m) and the 4x100m relay team. In the boys events, Christian Tozer (1500m in 4:28.6), Nathan Fazldad (1500m Walk in 7:23.5) and Daniel Snowdon

(High Jump in 1.71m) claimed victories. NEXT SEASON

As many readers may have already heard, Little Athletics NSW will incorporate Under 17s in next year’s championships program. The program for these championships will be revised to allow for the conduct of these extra events. It has already been decided that the Region and State program will next season include Friday evening events. Other major events upcoming on the Little Athletics NSW calendar are the State Cross Country & Road Walks Championships being held in Lithgow on July 6, and the Annual State Conference to be held in Tamworth on July 19-20.

4Christian Toser (63) won the U13 1500m ahead of Jack Stapleton (7).

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A GIFT OF AN EVENT! The murmur of a large crowd, broken only by the crack of a pistol which almost coincides with the crisp ‘T’ on the end of an elongated yell of ‘set’, in a small country town in Victoria. It means one thing: it’s Easter and you’re at the Stawell Gift. Words by Tim McGrath, Images courtesy The Licorice Gallery.

No other footrace captures the imagination of the Australian public in the same way which the Gift does. Since its inception in 1878 the perfectly manicured grass of Central Park in Stawell has played host to the 120 metre handicap footrace on 127 occasions, with only the turmoil of World War II preventing the staging of the race from 1942 - 1945. Perhaps it is that the underdog can get up for a win which makes the sports loving public pay more attention to this race than any other held

in Australia. Along with the mass participation of the City to Surf, it is the only other domestic race to be annually shown live on television. It’s a common misconception that most of the athletes in the Gift run who usually run ‘pro’ races do so because they simply can’t cut the mustard in normal competition. With a ten metre limit on the handicaps for the race and the need to run times of around 12.40 seconds to progress to the semi-ﬁnals from one of the twenty heats, Gift competitors

require 100m speed of at least 11.30 to be competitive. Put differently, you need to be quicker than most ﬁrst grade rugby league backs to even have a chance of getting out of your heat. In recent years athletes such as Dean Capobianco, Steve Brimacombe and Joshua Ross have shown that winning the Gift can mark a pivotal point in the development of an athlete from a good sprinter to one who is capable of representing their country at the Olympic Games. The

4The men’s 200m was a close race with Andrew Howell (Blue) narowly beating Australian 400m champion Joel Milburn (Red) and perennial Stawell competitor Iian MacFarlane (White) in third.

28 Inside Athletics

backmarkers are held in great affection by the knowledgeable crowd, with stalwarts speaking in hushed tones about John Louis Ravelomanantsoa, the man who in 1975 became the first to win the Gift off scratch. Equal praise is sounded for four-time national 100m champion Joshua Ross, who won off 7m in 2003 before repeating Ravelomanantsoa’s effort of winning from scratch in 2005, becoming only the second athlete ever to grace the winners podium in the main event on Easter Monday on two occasions. The other great difference from ‘amateur’ competition which endears itself to those who attend the Northern Grampian town is the opportunity to bet on races. One would think that given the races are handicapped so that all athletes will finish at the same time that, in theory at least, all athletes should have the same odds. That’s where the intriguing human element of the event comes into play. Despite athletes being required to declare all of their performances to the handicapper in order for their mark to be calculated, there are various techniques used by athletes to fly under the handicapper’s radar. These range from ‘running dead’ (usually by performing a hard training session prior to racing in order to diminish performance), ‘pulling up’ (not running fully through the line, which despite being outlawed is hard to police) or simply ‘not

racing.’ The latter is the one generally favoured for those with a real chance at winning the $40,000 prize on offer for victory in the Gift. An athlete, especially one on the rise, will race during the early season in order to set what the handicapper will consider a benchmark for their performance, and then elude competition whilst boosting their training and running time trials off their expected mark in order to gauge their progress. In one way it is the ultimate test of a coach: the ability to get an athlete to peak for the one race of importance to them for the season. PRO V’s AMATEUR

The use of the terms ‘pro’ and ‘amateur’ above in inverted commas is merely to highlight the now defunct historical divide which long existed which prevented athletes who competed in handicap races from racing in the

ordinary kind of competition which most athletes are accustomed to competing in. Throughout most of the twentieth century the strict inability of athletes to earn money from their sporting performances prevented them from contesting events such as the Stawell Gift, unless they were willing to forego their amateur status and ability to contest events ranging from interclub competition through to the Olympic Games. The ideological premises which sought to divide sport on class lines often had tragic effects, none more so than in the case of Native American, Jim Thorpe, who won the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games. Upon the International Olympic Committee learning that the man who had been dubbed by King Gustav of Sweden as being the ‘greatest athlete in the world’ had previously played professional baseball, Thorpe

was stripped of his Olympic titles. Only in 1983 did the IOC reinstate his medals – 40 years after his death. Throughout the 1970’s the tight reigns on athletes loosened, with athletes progressively moving from under the table payments to money deposited into trust funds until eventually the situation is as it occurs today, where athletes are able to openly earn money due to their athletic prowess. LOST IN TIME

Part of the charm of the Stawell Gift is the appearance of it having been stuck in a time warp, with the setting of the races more akin to scenes from Chariots of Fire rather than a 21st century sporting event. Differences noticeable from other competitions include: - Ropes between the lanes - Athletes put their front block just behind the starting line of their mark, not their ﬁngers - The starter does not hold athletes very long (if at all) in the set position - Breaks are penalised by an increase in the athlete’s handicap - Athletes are not allowed to wear a watch in distance events - Times are reported after having been adjusted for the wind reading (using a simplistic formula) - Times are recorded by timing gates, which do not 30 Inside Athletics

have the accuracy of the electronic timing used at other competitions. However Athletics Australia provides their timing apparatus to ensure the accuracy of the results (especially given the stakes on the line) STAWELL 2008

The race has not been without controversy throughout its history, and this year’s event was no different, with last year’s victor Nathan Allen being arrested following the media conference launching the event. The 30 year old will face charges relating to the importation of anabolic substances. The 2008 Gift saw an eclectic mix of runners progress through to the final. Amongst the six men who waited anxiously to run down the putting green like surface of Central Park hoping to bring home the largest pay day of their life were the current Australian 100m champion, a former Victorian amateur boxing champion with a penchant for wearing singlets emblazoned with the names of 1980’s heavy metal bands, and a clean cut, exercise science student from the outskirts of Melbourne. It was the latter, Sam Jamieson, the heavily backed short odds favourite, who cruised to victory to collect the winners cheque. The 21 year old, paying only $1.30 with the bookies after a swift semifinal win, convincingly won the final by over a tenth of a

second. Jamieson was clearly excited by his victory, but not overwhelmed. Like many Gift winners he and his training stable knew he was the likely victor prior to him running a stride in Stawell. “Nothing he did surprised me this weekend. We simulated this weekend at training. The results and the times suggested he was going to run very fast,” said Jamieson’s coach, Nick Fiedler. In fact Jamieson had run four hand-timed trials on off his mark of 6 metres in 11.6 seconds in the lead up to Stawell. Jamieson now plans to turn his attention to lowering his times over 100m, with the hope of representing Australia in the future.

4Gift champion Sam Jamieson holding the winner’s trophy aloft.

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NSW ROAD CHAMPS The first rays of sun over Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday, 3 May heralded a new dawn for distance running within New South Wales. With a fast, flat, accurate road course for the Road Championships on the top of runners wish lists over the past decade, runners prayers were answered when a promising course within the Sydney Olympic Park precinct was devised. After months of planning, Athletics NSW teamed up with Sydney Striders to deliver the best 10km race within Sydney. Athletes responded with enthusiasm, with over 500 athletes contesting the 10km event and another X the junior 5km and 2.5km events. In the weeks leading into the race there were high hopes of very fast times from the leading men over the relatively flat two lap loop course. However, with a host of the state’s leading runners such as Scott Westcott, Jeff Hunt and Ben St Lawrence absence from the race, it

4Large ﬁelds

became a showdown between Wollongong athletes Russell DessaixChin and Ryan Gregson. Dessaix-Chin had the experience of two previous victories whilst Gregson was coming off a sensational track season which saw him capture Australian U18 records 4Ryan Gregson (left) and Ru ssel Dessaix-Chin celebrat over 1500m, 3000m and e on the dias. 5000m. Experience prevailed, with Dessaix-Chin receiving Country Championships, little challenge throughout the remained composed as World race. After passing halfway Cross Country representative with a clear lead in 14:39, the Melinda Vernon ran to an slightly undulating nature early lead. By halfway Vernon of the course, which would had withdrawn from the race, generally be barely noticeable leaving Stewart to battle out within a pack of athletes the remainder of the race striving for a quick time, took with the experienced Belinda its toll on the 29 year old, as he Schipp. Stewart made a run for slowed to clock a respectable the line with three kilometres time of 29:45. Gregson finished remaining, finishing in 34:27. half a minute behind in 30:17: a high quality time for a SANDOWN CLASSIC teenager. UTS Norths Eliza Stewart, The Athletics NSW/Sydney buoyed by a fourth place Striders Road Race was finish a few weeks earlier at modeled on the highly the World University Cross successful Sandown Classic

and fast times proved the success of the new state road championships venue and partnership. Next year will be even bigger!

conducted by Athletics Victoria. The race is held around Sandown racecourse over a three lap format which annually gathers some of Australia’s best athletes. This year’s events were taken out by Lee Troop (28:50) and New Zealand’s Rowan Baird (32:44), with Lara Tamsett (2nd – 33:48), Ben St Lawrence (4th – 29:04) and Tim Rowe (5th – 29:12) venturing south and being rewarded with fast times.

LOCAL EXPERIENCE VALUABLE AT NOVICE CHAMPIONSHIPS Every year aspiring distance runners look to kick off the winter season with strong performances at the NSW Novice Championships. The event, unique to NSW, is restricted to athletes who have not previously won a open state medal over 3000m or longer. The event was first held in 1911, but for the last 68 years has been held on the flat, but sandy course around Scarborough Park, Ramsgate. The venue, along with the track at ES Marks Field, is the only that has been used continuously by Athletics NSW since the days of athletes of the ilk of 1956 Olympic 10000m bronze medalist Alan Lawrence and two and three mile world record holder Albie Thomas, who won the Novice in 1954. The finish of the men’s 10km event this year was poignant moment, with the winner James Nipperess following in the footsteps of Thomas, who as a coach has guided him in his development. Nipperess, 18, a first year physiotherapy student, now competes for Sydney University under the university’s Elite Athlete Program after having a successful school career as a St George athlete. He ran cautiously with the

conservative pace of the four person leading group until breaking away with two kilometres remaining to clock 32:29, with unbridled emotion getting the better of the young athlete as he crossed the line for victory. The women’s race, which as a reminder of days gone by where females could not compete over similar distances to males, is held over 4km. The event is almost a rite of passage for talented teenage athletes, with athletes such as Kerryn McCann (nee Hindmarsh), Suzy Walsham and Eloise Wellings (nee Poppett) taking out the event in their mid-teen years. This year’s event was no different, with all three medalists still in their teens. Cherrybrook’s Jenny Blundell, 13, was impressive in running to victory in 14:02.

1 James Nipperess 32.29 2 Christopher McDonald 32.43 3 Earl O’Brien 33.02 1 Jenny Blundell 2 Lauren Parsons 3 Morgan Moloney

14.02 15.03 15.04

10 FASTEST TIMES MEN 1 Borislav Devic 2 James Brown 3 Gary Sheumack 4 John Gumieniuk 5 Geoff Bruce 6 Glen Guzzo 7 Colin Johnston 8 Michael Holmes 9 Damon Harris 10 Danny Boltz

30.44 30.47 31.02 31.02 31.11 31.25 31.33 31.33 31.33 31.42

2000 1991 1989 1987 1986 2004 2003 2001 1995 1982

WOMEN 1 Vicky Coakley 2 Elizabeth Hanley 3 Eloise Poppett 4 Louise Bennett 5 Melinda Vernon 6 Tania Adams 7 Suzy Walsham 8 Celia Sullohern 9 Lorraine Davis 10 Lyn Clayton

13.23 13.37 13.38 13.38 13.39 13.39 13.46 13.49 13.51 13.53

1985 1983 1997 1986 2002 1984 1987 2007 1994 1988