400m runner Abbey de la Motte
TASMANIA has landed its first ever clean sweep of a track event at a national athletics title.
In what Athletics Tasmania president Brian Roe referred to as a ``special moment for Tassie athletics'' at the junior championships in Perth, Biniyam Hagos, Kale Adams and Alex Bessell delivered all three medals in the under-18 2000-metre steeplechase.
Hagos, of Hobart, took line honours in six minutes, 9.23 seconds to defend his national crown. Ulverstone's Adams ran with Hagos until the final 200m, eventually clocking 6:15.00 for second place.
However it was Bessell who was the biggest surprise of the night. The first season runner looked at home clearing the steeples with his long stride and had the race gone for another lap, he may have moved up higher.
However, Bessell was clearly happy with his bronze medal after running a 30-second personal best of 6:19.11.
Launceston's world junior championships representative Abbey de la Motte ran 56.16 to win the under-20 women's 400m.
It made amends for her silver medal last year, when she was struck down with the flu on the eve of the championships.
Sprint pair Jesse Usoalii (22.04) and Jacob Despard (22.37) continued their strong form to finish second and fourth in the under-18 men's 200m and 400m specialist Samantha Lind started her campaign in fine form, taking bronze in the women's under-18 200m in 25.17.
The championships continue in the Western Australian capital all week.