Pearson breaks Australian record; Mottram signals to the world he is back

posted by rtsam on July 10, 2011, 5:33pm

The Runner’s Tribe

sally pearson Birmingham, July 10

It was a fruitful day of track and field at the Birmingham diamond league with some of Australia’s biggest stars attracting attention as the countdown to the Daegu world championships intensifies.

The star of the show was Australian hurdler Sally Pearson, who won the 100m hurdles setting a new Australian record, meet record, and world leading time of 12.48. Pearson, just 6 weeks out from the world championships, it now the person to beat in her pet event.

Pearson said: “It's really exciting to set a new stadium record in my first race in Birmingham and its good to leave a mark here.

“I knew I was in that sort of shape today. I really did. I've come to Europe to get ready for the World Champs and I've had fantastic preparation. It's all just come together. I'm in shape, I've got my diet right, I haven't missed anything and I'm happy as well.

“It was so noisy at the start but you try and draw that into yourself and use it. I was able to do that today. I had a fantastic start and my last four hurdles were my best. I just want it so much. I've always wanted to be the best in the world and I'm heading in that direction. I'm really, really happy. A national record as well. Everything feels in such good shape.”

To the distance events and Craig Mottram has further confirmed that he is on his way back to becoming once again one of the world’s greatest distance runners. Mottram finished 6^th in the 5000m in a time of 13:11.51. It is Mottram’s fastest time since 2008 and more importantly qualifies the larger than life Australian for the Daegu world championships, an event in which he picked up a bronze medal, in 2005.

Collis Birmingham also confirmed his form finishing just behind Mottram in 13:15.70.

In the field Dani Samuels has thrown a season best of 62.33 to finish 3^rd in the women’s discus throw. The event was won by Nadine Miller with a thorw of 65.75 metres.

Finally, on the track Tamsyn Manou placed 2^nd last in the 800, with a time of 2:03.14. Is was a tight race, being won in 2:02.06 by Jennifer Meadows from Great Britain. Australian 1500m champion, Zoe Buckman, ran well to clock a personal best of 4:08.57. Het time placed her 11th, but is just off the A-qualifying standard.

For results click here

The Runner’s Tribe

Ends.

Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on July 10, 2011, 7:54pm