Eight Tasmanians remain on the Commonwealth Games radar as the track and field race to the Gold Coast heats up.
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Another busy weekend on the athletics calendar saw several of the state’s aspirants in action at the ACT championships, all seeking to join Stewart McSweyn on the Commonwealth Games team.
The King Islander qualified in the 10,000 metres by winning the Zatopek Classic at Melbourne in December (in 28.29.65).
McSweyn is also Australia’s fastest 3000m steeplechaser, having clocked five B-qualifiers across three continents, the fastest of which was 8.34.25 in Sweden.
And the 22-year-old has an A-qualifier of 13.19.98 in the 5000m placing him behind compatriots Patrick Tiernan, Morgan McDonald and Sam McEntee.
Jack Hale’s 100m time of 10.23 in finishing second at Canberra sees him join mainlanders Josh Clarke, Rohan Browning and Trae Williams with B-qualifying times, opening the door for the Hobart sprinter to earn selection in both the individual event and the relay.
Hobart’s Hamish Peacock is the No.1 ranked Australian javelin thrower and although he won the event by three metres in Canberra, the 27-year-old Rio Olympian would have been disappointed with his best distance of 76.07 given he already has 11 A-qualifiers (over 80.80m) to his name, the longest of which (84.36) was set at Sydney last April.
The 67.29m recorded by Hamish’s brother Huw Peacock in finishing second in the hammer in Canberra represents his 14th B-qualifying time, the longest of which (68.48 set in Hobart last October) places him behind only Queenslander Matt Denny, who has an A-qualifier of 73.37 to his name.
James Hansen’s 1500m winning time of 3:39.39 in Canberra was his third B-qualifier but the Melbourne-based Launceston runner faces stiff competition as compatriots Ryan Gregson, Luke Mathews and Jordan Williamsz all have multiple A-qualifiers (3:37.50) to their names.
Hansen also clocked 1:49.77 in the 800m in Canberra but is well short of the A-qualifier of 1:46.50 already achieved by three others.
Another Melbourne-based Launceston runner, Abbey de la Motte, clocked 2:03.14 in finishing second to Victorian Georgia Griffith in the women’s 800m. Griffith is the only Australian with an A-qualifier in the event and de la Motte is among another five with a B-qualifier (2.02.19).
The 2:30.53 that Milly Clark recorded at last year’s Rio Olympics place Launceston’s Sydney-based runner fifth among the Australians to have achieved marathon qualifying times.
Hobart’s Danielle McConnell is returning from college in the US for the Commonwealth Games trials and sits third among performances in the women’s hammer with a B-qualifier of 63.15 achieved in Lexington, Kentucky, last May.
Launceston teacher Josh Harris has a marathon qualifying time of 2:17.08 to his name, set in Japan last March, but is still recovering from injuries which prevented him from completing the world championships in London and is not in contention for selection.
Athletics Australia can select up to three athletes per event but is restrained by a cap of 88 to the overall able-bodied team.