ATHLETICS: The Canberra Track Classic will play host to the 100m rematch of Sally Pearson (Qld) and Melissa Breen (ACT) on Saturday 7 February, as the Australian Athletics Tour continues its roadshow across the country.
Almost a year to the day since Breen upstaged the Olympic champion Pearson for the first time in her career moments after smashing the national 100m record, the golden girls of Australian track will once again descend on the nation’s capital to battle it out for supremacy in the short sprint.
“It's always exciting racing Sally, she's the Olympic and Commonwealth hurdles champion so it's safe to say it's always a competitive race. She's all class, and last year I was able to get the win at ACT Championships, but I wasn't able to reproduce (that form) later in the season. She's a phenomenal starter, I'll be doing my best to get out with her to give myself a fighting chance,” Breen said.
For Breen, the race marks a third start this side of the New Year, with her most recent showing on the track at the Athletics ACT Summer Series last month delivering victory in a time of 11.50 (w: +1.1). Times are not the priority at the moment though, with the four-time Australian champion deciding to use the domestic season as a means of building toward her best performances at the IAAF World Championships.
“I'm definitely not where I was this time last year, in terms of sharpness. But technically I'm a lot better and my speed endurance has improved. My coach Matt Beckenham and I have decided to go with a longer build up, giving myself the best chance to perform at my peak later in the year when it really counts,” Breen added.
“The plan for 2015 is to run my fastest times later in the year, to get close to that sub 11 second barrier and that will culminate into a great World Championships. I've been working hard in training to learn the art of the 200m as well, both physically and mentally. I'm looking forward to running both sprints throughout the domestic season and qualifying for Beijing. I love the 100m, but all the work I've been putting in for the 200m will absolutely help with my back end of the shorter race.”
Pearson, meanwhile, will race for the first time this year at the Canberra Track Classic. She is scheduled to start in both the women’s 100m and 200m.
Now coached by Ash Mahoney, the Australian Flame captain has spent recent weeks completing a heavy training program at home on the Gold Coast (Qld) before shifting to a freshening up phase ahead of domestic competition that will see a return to the hurdles at the Queensland Track Classic next month.
Leading the way in the women’s 100m hurdles at Round 3 of the Australian Athletics Tour will be Michelle Jenneke (NSW), with Abbie Taddeo (NSW) set to challenge her up the straight.
A 100m hurdles finalist at the 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships, Jenneke relished her first season in the open ranks last year, with her season highlights including a new 100m hurdles personal best of 13.23 (w: +0.8) from the Queensland Track Classic and a start in the round-of-eight at the Commonwealth Games after advancing through the heats at Hampden Park.
Jenneke has already improved her 100m personal best this year and her confirmation of entry for the Canberra Track Classic will kick-off an Australian Athletics Tour campaign that includes appearances in the 100m hurdles in Perth (WA), Brisbane (Qld) and Melbourne (Vic), as well as the Australian Athletics Championships.
“I’ve only just started coming into speed work as part of my training now, and I’m starting to feel the effects of that already. I want to come out and, conditions permitting, push below 13.50. I’m not expecting anything too spectacular this early in the season, that will come later, but I want to execute a good first hit-out,” Jenneke said.
“The atmosphere at the Commonwealth Games was electric, I couldn’t have asked for anything more really. It’s given me great confidence coming into the next couple of years. I did a lot better at the event than I thought I would and I’m now determined to work hard to keep getting better.
“My main aim for 2015 is to make the World University Games team. It’s a realistic aspiration for me, but that said I have a time below 13 seconds in my sights too and if that gave me the opportunity to compete at the World Championships as well that would be great. There is a six-week gap so I would love to do both if that’s an option, it will all be about timing if I achieve the times required to make it possible.”
In the men’s sprints, para-athletics world record holder Evan O’Hanlon (ACT) will line-up his able-bodied counterparts including Robbie Crowther (Qld), Trae Williams (Qld) and Alexander Hartmann (Qld) in the 100m, while Tristan Thomas (Tas), Craig Burns (Qld) and Alex Beck (Qld) will burst from the blocks in the 400m.
The IPC Athletics World Championships gold medallist Scott Reardon (NSW) headlines the men’s ambulant 100m alongside Lyon 2013 silver medallist Gabriel Cole (SA). In the wheelchair 400m, London 2012 Paralympians Rheed McCracken (Qld), Matt Cameron (Qld) and Richard Nicholson (ACT) will all start.
The Canberra Track Classic is the third leg of the Australian Athletics Tour, with future competition scheduled for Perth (WA), Adelaide (SA), Brisbane (Qld), Sydney (NSW) and Melbourne (Vic). The 93rd Australian Athletics Championships will close out the domestic season on the last weekend in March.
ATHLETICS AUSTRALIA
