Field action lights up Sydney Track Classic

Published Mon 24 Feb 2020

24 February 2020

Field action lights up Sydney Track Classic

There were world class performances everywhere you looked and especially in the field at the 2020 Sydney Track Classic. Three Sydney high jumpers Brandon Starc, Nicola McDermott and Eleanor Patterson confirmed they are on track to make the final at the Tokyo Olympics, while former promising junior, Alex Hulley defeated a world class field with the longest throw by an Australian for 14 years.

Women hammer throw – Alex Hulley

Australia’s best ever junior hammer thrower, Alex Hulley (SUT), now aged 22, had a breakthrough performance at the Sydney Track Classic, defeating 2019 world number three hammer thrower, Gwen Berry (USA) and adding nearly two metres to her personal best with a winning throw of 70.55m. Hulley’s mark was her first time over 70 metres and the longest by an Australian for 14 years. She remains at number three Australian all-time, but has put herself within reach of the Australian record (71.71m) and the Tokyo Olympic standard (72.50m).

“I can’t describe the feeling,” said an ecstatic Hulley.

“To come out and throw a two metre PB and to throw 70 metres, which has been a goal of mine for three years – it is awesome.”

Hulley had thrown well the previous week in New Zealand and seemed to have momentum with her.

“I had two fouls initially and usually I get worked up about that, but today I just stayed calm. I was throwing far right from the warmup.”

After those two fouls she series was 67.13m, 68.48m, 69.40m PB and 70.55m PB.

Her last PB was back in 2017, shortly after she turned 20.

“Two and a-half-years is not long between PBs, but I have felt I needed to throw a PB. I’ve come to learn you can’t throw far all the time, it is something my coaches and I spoke about this week. So putting a little less pressure on myself, coming out and having fun and that is what I tried to do tonight.”

What next for Hulley?

“I’d love to throw 72.50m (Olympic standard) this season. I guess we will see where we go from here this season.”

Men high jump – Brandon Starc

Brandon Starc’s 2018 season was extortionary winning the Commonwealth title, adding five centimetres to his PB, equalling the Australian record (2.36m) and being crowned Diamond League high jumper of the year. But injuries hampered 2019 which affected him technically.

“I didn’t have that consistency in my runup in Doha (at the worlf championships) and I had a back issue,” reflected Starc.

But 2020 is a new year and he is very pleased with his two performances in Canberra (2.25m) and a terrific 2.30m clearance on Saturday night in Sydney.

“To jump 25 and 30 early up is good and I just need to keep that momentum going and stay in one piece, keep that consistency and the heights will come. I’m not injured. My back is fine. My calf is fine. I’m feeling good and well above where I was last year.”

Starc, who made one really good attempted at the Olympic standard of 2.33m, is looking forward to the Olympics in Japan.

“Tokyo is almost my second home, been there every year since 2014 so will feel very comfortable there.”

Women high jump – Nicola McDermott and Eleanor Patterson

For the second consecutive week, Nicola McDermott (SYU) and Eleanor Patterson went jump for jump at exceptional heights. They both commenced at 1.86m, after all the other athletes had finished. At 1.90m, McDermott need two attempts to negotiate the high, a miss that eventually cost her the win. They both then went clear at 1.94m on their first attempts. The bar then moved to a PB height for both - 1.97m. They each then produced some very close attempts.

Women 1500m – Jenny Blundell

From the gun the pace was on in the women’s 1500m, with national record holder Linden Hall, the inform Georgia Griffith and Rio semi-finalist Jenny Blundell (SYU) the major players.

“All the last week the talk has been about the pace of the race and Jimbo (her coach) said just stay with it (the pace),” said Blundell.

The race lived up to the expectations with them on the Olympic Games qualifying schedule of 4:04 throughout.

“The pace was hot hot hot and I just kept with it,” said Blundell who has not run well since 2017 due to various injuries. She received a recent boost in confidence with a 30 second PB and bronze in the national 5000m championships.

“I run my best when I’m fit, but over the last two years I haven’t been able to demonstrate it.”

The lead pack jostled over the last lap, with initially, at 150m to go Griffiths in the lead. But coming up the straight, Blundell seized the lead, but at the line could not hold off a flying Linden Hall who had run wide to reach the front. Hall clocked 4:05.16, with Blundell second in 4:05.35 and Griffiths third in 4:06.35. It was Blundell’s third fastest time and her best since 2016.

“It feels amazing. To run it like that, here, this time of the year is really good.”

Women 3000m Steeplechase – Paige Campbell

After a below par 5000m two weeks ago in Melbourne, Paige Campbell’s (SYU) Olympic hopes looked in trouble.

“I was a little beat up after the 5000m,” she said.

Her expectations were modest for the Sydney Track Classic.

“I just wanted to come out and enjoy the race and enjoy running and to get a PB is a bonus,” said Campbell who ran an extraordinary lifetime best of 9:44.00, quicker than her run at the Doha world championships.

She was ecstatic about the performance.

“The plan was to stay relaxed for the first kilometre and try and build and sit in behind if I could.”

She ran with Irish international Michelle Finn throughout the race. “It is pretty rare to run with other people so it was great to have Michelle here.”

Women 100m hurdles – Liz Clay

Liz Clay (SYU) made it 3 from 3, in the 100m hurdles in an excellent time of 13.01 (wind 0.1m/s), to defeat Perth’s Brianna Beahan (13.20) and Wollongong’s Abbie Taddeo (ILL) who made a breakthrough clocking 13.21. Taddeo’s time was a 0.08 seconds PB and elevated her to number 14 Australian all-time.

The win for Clay was another big test passed.

“I’m pretty tired from the last three weeks. Three in a row is a big ask. It was bit of a messy race for me, I was quite high over a few (hurdles), but I didn’t freak out as I just knew I’d get there.”

After her whirlwind three weeks she will now take stock and prepare for the Queensland Track Classic and nationals.

“I can now have a couple of weeks off (from competition) and get over this cold.”

Women 400m – Bendere Oboya, Bec Bennett

Australia currently has great depth in the women’s 400m and the field for the Sydney Track Classic was the deepest race this summer. Queensland teenager Ellie Beer looked the strongest early and led into the home straight, but was overhauled by Bendere Oboya (UTN) and Bec Bennett (SYU) as they hit the line in times of 52.38 and 52.61. Oboya later said she didn’t panic as she eased into the lead. For Bennett, it was a 0.6 seconds PB of 52.61. Beer was close, clocking a World U20 Championships time of 52.70. Rio Olympian Anneliese Rubie-Renshaw continued her run back into form with 53.64.

Other NSW highlights were:

Lauren Reid (TRT) ran a two seconds 1500m PB of 4:12.83 to place fifth.
Imogen Gardiner (UTN) just missed a World U20 Champs qualifier, clocking 4:20.34.
Rose Davies (ADM) sliced six seconds from her PB to run 4:13.49 in the 1500m.
Paralympic Games champion James Turner (WOL) placed third in the Ambulant 100m in 12.08 – a Tokyo B standard.
Rozie Tozer (WOL) was third in the high jump clearing 1.78m and attempted a World U20 Champs qualifier.
Kyle McIntosh (SUT) was third in the Ambulant 1500m in 4:12.23.