Athletics News |
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Good news for track and field girls
Sharna Warry, competing in the Victorian Youth Track and Field Championships over the weekend, finished third in the girls under-14 javelin event. She also achieved a fourth place in the discus throw.
Sharna's results follow on from her wins in both events in the Victorian Country titles.
Additional weekend news is Victorian team selection for Abbie Freestone for the Australian Junior Athletics Championships. Abbie is an accomplished under-20 pole vaulter who learned her skills over several seasons as an Academy athlete. She later returned as an assistant coach.
The Championships will be held in Sydney 11 – 14 March.
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Coach Cain close to Commonwealth selection, 1 March 2010
The battle for Commonwealth Games selection is on for Stephen Cain, Head Coach of the Academy's athletics program.
Two weeks ago at the national championships in Hobart Stephen defended his Australian decathlon title, scoring 7427 points, just shy of the Commonwealth Games B qualifying standard of 7500 points. Over the 10 track and field events which comprise the decathlon, that is tantalisingly close.
In winning the event Stephen posted season's best results in 7 of his 10 events, and lead his opponents in three of them. However, it was a close contest with second place-getter, Kyle McCarthy from Queensland, scoring 7331 points.
Last weekend Stephen dominated the Victorian decathlon championship scoring 7385 points, more than 1000 ahead of his nearest rival. Despite scoring slightly fewer points overall than at the nationals, Stephen made further promising gains in the pole vault and other of the technical events.
Stephen's selection will now depend on results at the National Combined Event Selection Trials on the Gold Coast on 9 – 10 April where he will be hoping to win the trial and exceed the qualifying standard.
Coaching in the Academy's athletics program for 6 seasons and Head Coach over the last 4, Stephen has helped and inspired many Academy athletes to Victorian titles during this time.
All at the Academy wish Stephen success at the trials.
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Athletics achievers at Country titles, 26 January 2010
Six of the Academy's athletics squad competed at last weekend's Victorian Country Athletics Championships.
It was held at the Academy's regular training ground, at Newborough, and home ground advantage proved to be the case for under-14 girls Lauren Matthews and Sharna Warry. Lauren won three events and Sharna won two.
Lauren's wins were in high jump, triple jump and the 100-metre sprint. She also finished second in the long jump and 200-metre race, and took a third place in the 80-metre hurdles.
Sharna's wins were in field events, the discus and javelin. She placed third in the triple jump.
James Ogden also had successes in the field events with bronze medals in both the under-16 shot put and discus events.
Ryan Buttner, moving up to the under-18's, tied for the best height in the high jump. After a count back his 1.70-metre jump resulted in second place.
Hayley Matthews (under-18) and Tyron Forscutt (under-16) were only just outside of the places in their respective track and throwing events. Hayley, however, had the good fortune to gain a medal as a member of the successful under-20 relay team.
After a long and frustrating break due to a foot injury, Hamish Nelson returned to the track with some promising form. Hamish is a former Academy athlete and Tim Forsyth Award winner who achieved some excellent performances in the heptathlon and, later the decathlon events.
Hamish, now in the open age group, entered 9 individual events and a relay. He won the javelin throw, was second in the high and long jumps, and was third in the pole vault. The weekend's competition should be a useful preparation for Hamish in next week's Victorian Decathlon titles.
Another former Academy athlete to do well was Tanya Eagle who finished second in both the 400-metre race and discus throw for under-20 women.
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Young athletes impress at youth titles, 4 March 2009
Our athletics squad members had some impressive results at the Victorian Youth Championships. The championships were held at Olympic Park, Melbourne from last Friday through to Sunday. Eight of our athletes, ranging from 13 to 17 years of age, competed in all manner of running, jumping and throwing events.
The consolidation of performances in middle-distance events has been a recent achievement with Lauren Grant and Daniel Jackson now showing themselves to be talented runners over distances from 800 to 3000-metres. Both are technically proficient in steeplechase events as well, and their results are a credit to Head Coach Steve Cain.
Lauren has built herself up to great form and she won the women's U18 2000 metre steeplechase by more than the length of the straight, looking comfortable the whole way. In the 800 Lauren finished second in 2:15.68, improving her recent personal best by 2 seconds.
Daniel (U16) won his 2000-metre steeple just as easily as Lauren. He followed up with a third in the 1500-metres and a second in the 3000-metres. To prove his versatility Daniel challenged Ryan Buttner in the U16 high jump and finished 4th in a close event.
Ryan was awarded second place in the high jump after clearing 1.75-metres, the same as the winning height. However, the two best jumpers dead-heated for first place and both were awarded gold medals. On a countback Ryan won the silver medal with no bronze medal being awarded. Daniel, clearing 1.70-metres and given fourth, was in close touch.
Ryan returned the challenge to Daniel in the 2000-metres steeplechase. Although better known for his sprint hurdling, Ryan's 5th place was impressive. Ryan's other results included a second place in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump.
Another clear winner was Lauren Matthews in the women's U14 200-metres hurdles. She also had a third place in the long jump. Lauren also entered the triple jump and 200-metres sprint but was without success.
Lauren's elder sister Hayley had a similar program of hurdles and jumps events, but unfortunately was unable to place in any of them. An U16 competitor, Hayley stepped up to the U18 age group for her last event, the long jump, and finished a respectable 7th against the older girls.
Loni Charles (women U16) and James Ogden (men U18) are both throws specialists. They went through their rounds of shot put and discus looking like distinct medal chances, but neither was able to gain a place.
Jay Robbie is yet another of our middle distance runners who shows future potential. Although he may feel disappointed in not gaining medals in his 800-metre and 1500-metre races, Jay, as an U14, has a demonstrated ability and still plenty of time in hand to prove himself.
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Country athletics wins, 28 January 2009
Two under 16 track and field athletes, Ryan Buttner and Daniel Jackson were outstanding achievers at the recent Victorian Country Athletics Championships.
Although only 7 Academy representatives were available for the Championships, held at Geelong over the long weekend, they made up for it with some impressive results.
Ryan's best events are high jump and 100-metres hurdles, and he took both of those titles as well as the triple jump title.
In the 100-metres sprint Ryan was unable to match it with the speedsters in the final and he finished out of a place. However, Ryan showed true versatility with a great run in age group's longest distance event, the 3000-metres, in which he placed second.
Daniel also finished with three gold medals when he had easy wins in the 800-metres, 1500-metres and 2000-metres steeple. Daniel's best result was in the steeple, in which he has great technical proficiency, where he won the 5-lap race by half a lap.
The squad's assistant coach, Zachariah Nelson, placed second in the U20 pole vault. He raised the stakes in the long jump by switching to the more competitive open age group, and was successful in taking the title.
Lauren Matthews competed in 7 events, with her best being third in the U14 girls 100-metres. Lauren also place fourth in three of her field events.
Ellica Evans ((U16), Sherrie Hibbs (U18) and Hayley Matthews (also U18) were unable to win medals but distinguished themselves by their effort and competitive performances in each of their events.
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Excellent athletics results at Pacific Games, 9 December 2008
Daniel Jackson, Ryan Buttner and assistant coach Zachariah Nelson competed in the Pacific School Games track and field events. All three did particularly well.
Daniel Jackson (14 years) would have to win the prize for most unlucky record-breaker. Knocking nearly 10 seconds off the event record for the 2000 metres steeplechase should have been good enough for anyone to take the gold. However, Daniel's impressive 6 min 22 sec. time was only sufficient for second spot behind another Queensland runner.
Daniel also backed up in the 800-metre and 1500-metre races but was unplaced.
Ryan Buttner, also 14, had some disappointment as well. Despite clearing 1.78 metres in the high jump, just 3 centimetres below his personal best, Ryan finished 7th. The event may have been the most competitive junior high jump event ever, with all of the top 10 gaining 1.75 metres or better and 1.81 being required for a medal.
Zachariah was second in the pole vault and fourth in the long jump with two international competitors ahead of him in the latter event.
Since the Games also embraced the Australian Schools Championships, Zachariah was also awarded Australian silver medals for each of his events. Daniel also won an Australian silver as well as a Games silver for his steeplechase performance.
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Medals at Schools Championships, 10 November 2008
Three Academy athletes won medals at the Victorian All Schools Athletics Championships. The events were held over three days and concluded yesterday.
Daniel Jackson won the U15 2000-metres steeplechase and finished third in the 800-metres final. Daniel's hopes of a third medal were spoilt when he came home fourth in the 1500-metres.
Lauren Grant also finished third in her 800-metres final. Lauren, a girls' U17 middle distance runner, had a 5th place in the 1500-metres.
In the boys' U15 high jump Ryan Buttner , unfortunately below his best, still achieved a third place .
Sherrie Hibbs, Jay Robbie and Ryan Halford all competed in several events without achieving places.
Two further medals were won by Zachariah Nelson, a former athlete who is now an Academy trainee coach. Zachariah won both of his events, the U18 long jump and pole vault.
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Athletes qualify for Pacific School Games, 18 September 2008
Eight Athletics Squad members competed in selection trials for the Pacific School Games with four of them being successful. The trials were conducted last weekend at Olympic Park when wet and windy conditions made selection standards difficult to achieve in many events.
Daniel Jackson dominated the boys' U15 2000 metres steeplechase, winning by 25 seconds, and well inside the qualifying time. Daniel set himself a heavy schedule of distance events but was unfortunately unable to qualify in his other events, the 800 and 1500 metres.
In winning the boys' U15 high jump, Ryan Buttner's 1.81 metres equalled the qualifying height. Ryan also was comfortably above of his opposition.
Zachariah Nelson and Abbie Freestone, both working with the squad as assistant coaches, qualified for the Games.
Zachariah met the standard with an easy win in the U18 pole vault. However, on the second day wet and windy conditions seriously affected high jump and long jump performances so that no U18 competitors could achieve the standards. Zachariah finished second in both events but, fortunately, he has previous results which meet the selection criteria.
Abbie finished second in the pole vault and has been selected by virtue of a prior qualifying performance (3.15 metres)
Lauren Matthews, Ellica Evans, Jay Robbie and Ryan Halford were less successful. All proved themselves capable of qualifying for event finals but unfortunately, at this early stage in the season, were unable to meet the Pacific Games requirements.
All four qualifiers are expected to attend the Games in Sydney during the first week of December.
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Great performances by athletes at Youth Track & Field titles, 25 February 2008
In the weekend's Victorian Youth Track and Field Championships Academy athletes produced some outstanding performances.
Once again Zachariah Nelson and Abbie Freestone were the top achievers. Zachariah won the long jump for U18 men and placed third in the 200 metres sprint.
Abbie won the U18 women's pole vault with a personal best performance of 3.10 metres. She turned the tables on South Australian Sally Wilson who had previously beaten her, but it was only after a nail-biting count back.
Ryan Buttner achieved third place in the U16 high jump. In the U14's Ellica Evans finished second in the 400 metres, and she was breathtakingly close to places when she finished 5th in a blanket finish in the 100 metres.
Sherrie Hibbs, Hayley Matthews and Cassandra Yiannacou all competed across a number of U16 women's events with solid performances in finals but without achieving places.
A number of athletes were new to championships of this scale and we hope the experience will be useful for their future development.
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Athletes in Melbourne Shield competition, 18 February 2008
In the Athletics Victoria Club Shield's final competition on the weekend Abbie Freestone and Zachariah Nelson both performed well.
Most of the state's best athletes were competing for their club's points.
Abbie won the women's U18 years pole vault, while Zachariah's best results were in the men's U18 100 metres (6th) and high jump (8th).
Both athletes have been competing intensively in Melbourne in the Shield competition and other events in the lead up to the Victorian Youth Championships next weekend.
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Abbie vaults to Victorian medal, 15 February 2008
Abbie Freestone secured a medal at the Victorian U20 Track and Field Championships last weekend.
Abbie finished third with a vault of 3.0 metres, 0.4 metres behind the winner.
Abbie joined the Academy last season as a jumper and sprinter and her results have progressively advanced. Her biggest gains have been in the pole vault where she has benefited from technical coaching, and it has become one of her favourite events.
In the same event last year Abbie finished fifth.
Athletics coach and former Academy athlete Hamish Nelson also competed in the pole vault event but finished 6th in a close contest, just 0.2 metres behind the third place-getter.
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Ryan's record ratified, 5 February 2008
Ryan Buttner's 1.82 metre high jump at the Australian All Schools Championships last December has been acknowledged as a new Victorian Country record.
Ryan cleared 1.82 m, an improvement of 6 cm over his previous best, and an outstanding performance for an under 14 boy.
The previous record, at 1.80 metres, had stood for 10 years.
Ryan also holds the Victorian and Victorian Country records for the U13 90 metres hurdles, which he broke early last year.
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Athletes at country titles, 4 February 2008
Six athletics squad members competed successfully at the Victorian Country Track and Field Championships on the long weekend. They were Ellica Evans, Hayley Matthews, Sherrie Hibbs, Cassandra Yiannacou, Ryan Buttner, and Zachariah Nelson.
Best results were for Zachariah Nelson with wins in the men's U18 high jump, pole vault and long jump, and second places in the 100 metres and javelin. Abbie Freestone had the best women's results with a win in the U18 pole vault and second in the 200 metre sprint.
In the U16 girls, Hayley Matthews was second in the 200m hurdles, third in 90 m hurdles, third in triple jump, and a member of the second-placed relay team. In the same age group Sherrie Hibbs was 2nd in the high jump. Both girls also qualified for finals of both 100 and 200 metre sprints.
Also in the U16s, Cassandra Yiannacou achieved personal bests in 800 metres and triple jump although she missed out on placing in either event. She made up for it in the 4 x 100 relay where her team placed third. Ellica Evans, competing in a higher age group, and Sherrie Hibbs, were also in the team.
Ryan Buttner was second in the U16 110 metres hurdles and high jump, and also third in the triple jump.
Another encouraging result was in the girls U14 200 metres where Ellica Evans ran a personal best (30.04 seconds) to finish second.
Squad coach Hamish Nelson won the open javelin and was second in the pole vault.
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Sound results at Australian All-Schools, 17 December 2007
Last week four Academy athletes competed in the Australian All-Schools Championships.
Ryan Buttner won the U14 high jump, astonishing many because he was competing against a big field including significantly taller boys. It was not an easy win, for Ryan was tied with another boy at 1.82, and both were equal after the count back. In a deciding jump-off, after 2 hours in hot and humid conditions, Ryan successfully took the title.
Ryan cleared 1.82 m, an improvement of 6 cm over his previous best, and an outstanding performance.
Zachariah Nelson finished second in the long jump and third in the pole vault.
Ben Hopcraft was 9th in the U14 javelin, and Abbie Freestone was also 9th in the pole vault.
The results are encouraging as the All Schools are highly competitive, sometimes with higher standards than the Australian Championships. Our squad members are still in the build-up phase of their preparation and should be pleased with the results.
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Ryan jumps into National Championships, 13 November 2007
Ryan Buttner won the boys U14 high jump at the Victorian All Schools Championships on Sunday. Ryan's leap of 1.76 metres was comfortably ahead of the second place-getters 1.67 m clearance. The height qualifies him for the Australian All Schools titles in Sydney early next month.
Ryan also ran in the 90 metres hurdles where he again qualified for Sydney. Although he was not in contention for a place, he had the satisfaction of a personal best of 14.71 seconds.
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Two athletics records to Ryan, 4 July 2007
Ryan Buttner's win in the Victorian Youth Athletics Championships back in February was in a record time. Ryan won the U14 90 metres hurdles event in 15.53 seconds, and it has now been ratified. Ryan now has the honour of holding both the Victorian and Victorian Country records.
The records are for U13, run in an U14 event, which is not surprising as Ryan often competes in more competitive, higher-age events.
The verification procedures conducted by Athletics Victoria are extremely rigorous, and Ryan's records were announced recently by AV, along with a number of other new marks.
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Victorian Youth Track & Field medals, 26 February 2007
Three Academy athletes competed at last weekend's second round of the Youth Track and Field Championships. Hamish Nelson was our most successful winning the U20 pole vault and placing second in the long jump. Hamish, who has specialised in the 10-event decathlon, tested himself in a total of 5 events.
Hamish was also in reasonably close contention in the high jump (equal 4th and 10 cm behind the winner), and 400 metre (6th and 1 second down).
Zachariah Nelson, after good showings in the U18 events two weeks ago, competed in the U20 pole vault and long jumps, achieving 5th and 6th places, which were remarkable outcomes for a 16 year old.
Abbie Freestone competed in 4 jump and sprint events with best results in the pole vault (5th) and high jump (7th).
An Athletics Squad member from last year, Adam Daldry, who specialises in throwing events, had 5th places in both the javelin and hammer throws.
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Medals at Vic Youth Athletics Titles, 5 February 2007
Zachariah Nelson and Ryan Buttner were the Academy's gold medal winners at the Victorian Youth (U23) Track and Field Championships. Zachariah won the u18 long jump and Ryan the U14 90m hurdles.
Ryan also finished second in the long jump. As there was no U14 high jump, Ryan entered the U16 event, but was only able to place fourth.
Zachariah, up an age group this year, found the competition much greater. In the pole vault he soared to 3.60 metres, but could only achieve fifth place. Last year Zachariah won the U16 age group with a much more modest 2.90 metres.
Abbie Freestone placed second in the U18 women's high jump. She also competed in the pole vault, where she finished fifth.
Emma Doderico was an exception in not being entered in a jumping event. Emma achieved third place in the u18 women's javelin.
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Stand-out performers at Country Athletics Championships, 23 January 2007
The Academy had several stand-out performers at the Victorian Country Athletics Championships at Bendigo last weekend.
In his first season with the Academy, Ryan Buttner showed his great potential with wins in both his events, the U14 high jump and 90 metre hurdles.
Brothers Hamish and Zachariah Nelson, established multi-event specialists, respectively won 7 of 8 events entered, and two of 5. While the scorecard looks better for Hamish, Zachariah's losses were by narrow margins. Some of Zachariah's U18 results were also very close to his elder brother's performances in the U20s.
Stacey Pearson (U16) showed great versatility by competing in a string of events from 100m to 1500m as well as the triple jump. She was successful with a second place in the 800m, and a close fourth in the 100m. In the triple jump Stacey also finished fourth, but this was an event in which the top five finishers were quite close.
Emma Doderico (U18) finished with second places in the javelin and shot put. Chelsea Caple (also U18) placed second in the 3000m and third in the 1500m. Emma and Chelsea ran in the U20 4 x 100 relay team which placed second.
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Hamish Nelson wins Victorian U20 Decathlon, 10 January 2007
Hamish Nelson won last weekend's U20 Victorian Decathlon Championship. Although Hamish had hoped for a better result, he achieved a personal best result of 6638 points. Hamish won the same event last year with a score of 6278, showing a significant improvement over the last 12 months.
As with last year, Hamish's final score was also ahead of the winner of the open-age Victorian event.
Both Hamish and other Gippsland Group Training Athletic Squad members will compete at next weekend's Country Championships.
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