Sean Wroe (r) takes the Aussie title with a 45.07 PB in Brisbane (© Getty Images)
Sean Wroe did himself and Australia’s new national head coach Eric Hollingsworth a power of good in winning the 400m in a personal best 45.07sec at the 87th Australian Championships tonight (20).
Wroe, who was eliminated running 45.56 in his Beijing Olympic semi-final last year, maintained his run post-Games and has been perhaps the most outstanding male track performer of the domestic season.
But the selection of his personal coach, Hollingsworth, three months ago as Australia’s head coach had threatened to derail Wroe’s campaign as it was stated in an Athletics Australia media release that Hollingsworth would have to stand down from coaching any individuals.
A former British Decathlon international, Hollingsworth was yet to really earn nationwide respect for his coaching expertise although his organisational skills were undoubted. Now his coaching capacities are also admired, after Wroe led fast-starting Commonwealth titleholder John Steffensen (45.51) to automatic selection on Australia’s team to the IAAF World Championships in Berlin in August.
“It’s not correct that we have to part company,” a relieved Hollingsworth said last night. “We’re going through a negotiation process championships by championships. As long as I can show I can do both jobs, we should be right (to continue working together)."
Hollingsworth, a former training partner to 1980s Decathlon superstar Daley Thompson, was not blowing his own trumpet when he gave an insight into Wroe’s stellar summer.
“I’ve got him planned so far in advance,” Hollingsworth said. “I know everyone thought I was mad scheduling Sean to run 100m and 200m this season and scheduling him to race the sprint treble at these Nationals, but I’m trying to prepare him to be a world class performer. I was very happy with the way he responded in tonight’s 400m after being eliminated in the 100m semi earlier in the evening.”
Wroe put aside his 100m disappointment, collected his thoughts and responded calmly and strategically to 2005 World Championship finalist Steffensen’s attack from the gun in the 400m final.
“John took it out fairly hard so I just made sure I kept a track of him,” Wroe said.
“I kept alongside him and thank God he pulled me through. I haven’t put together a perfect race yet. Today was the first time I went out hard whereas in Sydney and Melbourne I sat back a little bit and did my best with 150 to go. If I put the two together, anything can happen.”
In the Sydney Track Classic (February 28), Wroe clocked 45.28 to defeat Xavier “X-Man” Carter (45.75) and Asafa Powell (45.94) among others.
Joel Milburn, the defending National 400m champion and a Beijing semi-finalist, ran 45.92 in Sydney on February 15 and then a disastrous 46.51 for seventh when on antibiotic medication for an illness at the Sydney Track Classic and has gone nowhere ever since. He placed fifth tonight in 46.54.
Ross collects fifth 100m title...
While Wroe was outgunned in the 100m semis, Joshua Ross won his fifth National 100m title in tonight’s final, regaining the crown after spending the Olympic year lost in his own thoughts and frustrations with the sport. A move from Newcastle to Melbourne to a new coach and training group helped him back onto his flashing feet.
Ross clocked 10.34 (-0.4) and clearly has some way to go, but he won his first race of the year in defeating training partner Aaron Rouge-Serret (10.36) who has dominated the Australian scene. Young New Zealander David Ambler (10.41) took third.
There was to be no record from Sally McLellan in the much-hyped women’s 100m final, but the Beijing Olympic 100m Hurdles silver medallist won convincingly in 11.32 (-0.1) from Canberra teenager Melissa Breen (11.61), Alicia Wrench-Doody (11.77) of South Australia and Jody Henry (11.78) of Western Australia.
... while Lewis takes fifth over 400m, and 14th overall
Melbourne’s World Indoor 800m titleholder Tamsyn Lewis won the 400m in 51.42 - her fifth national title at 400m and her 14th overall, thus equalling the tally attained by all-time greats Raelene Boyle and Cathy Freeman. Lewis will race in the 400m Hurdles final on Saturday, the third and last day of these championships.
Tristan Thomas took care of business winning the men’s 400m Hurdles title tonight in 49.26, well clear of Brendan Cole (50.11) and West Australia’s Dane Richter (51.35). Thomas, who has fought back from a series of injuries including osteitis pubis, will be an automatic selection for the Berlin World titles team, as will West Australia’s Kimberley Mickle after she clinched the javelin with another A-qualifying throw of 60.69m.
Sarah Jamieson won a close 1500m in 4:16.15 from Kaila McKnight (4:16.27), Bridey Delaney (4:16.58, with Beijing Olympian Lisa Corrigan (4:17.34) fourth and defending champion Nikki Molan (4:19.59) fifth. In the men’s 800m Nick Bromley timed his run to perfection to win in 1:47.76 from fellow Sydney runner and Beijing Olympian Lachlan Renshaw (1:48.17) with Queenslander Werner Botha (1:48.24) threatening in third.
Mike Hurst (Sydney Daily Telegraph) for the IAAF
