Turkey Indoor Champs 2012
Istanbul (TUR) is calling for a green and gold contingent of six today after Athletics Australia selectors confirmed the team for the IAAF world indoor championships to be held March 9-11, 2012.
Named in the 60m and 60m hurdles, IAAF World Athlete of the Year and world 100m hurdles champion Sally Pearson (Qld) headlines the team. She will be joined by Craig Mottram (Vic, 3000m), Dale Stevenson (Vic, shot put), Alana Boyd (WA, pole vault), Henry Frayne (Qld, triple jump, long jump) and Ryan Foster (Tas, 1500m).
Pearson’s appearance is her first for Australia at a world indoors, and only her third indoor appearance ever after a 2009 trip to the United States saw her clock 7.30 (60m) and 7.96 (60m hurdles) in Boston and New York respectively.
To date this year, the 25-year-old has clocked a season best of 11.25 in her first appearance in the 100m at the Brisbane Track Classic, before last weekend in Sydney blazing the straight to cross in her fastest ever hurdles time domestically of 12.66.
Mottram’s selection sees the six-time national champion line up in the 3000m at the championships for the third time, with 5th in Valencia (ESP) in 2008 his best result, while Foster is the Australian 800m indoor record holder after an impressive 1:47.48 at University Park (USA) in 2010.
In the field, Commonwealth champion Boyd will look to continue her outstanding outdoor form on the indoor runway. Already boasting seven qualifiers for the Olympic Games, Boyd at the Go for 2&5 Perth Track Classic soared 4.66m to record the best outdoor jump by an Australian ever.
Frayne heads to Turkey in career best shape with new personal bests in both the triple jump (17.09m) and long jump (8.27m) in recent weeks, while the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Stevenson will make his indoor debut.
Before the IAAF world indoor championships, all six will compete at the Qantas Melbourne Track Classic & Olympic Trial to be held at Lakeside Stadium (Vic) on March 2 and 3.
For more information on the Qantas Melbourne Track Classic & Olympic Trial, please click here.
Held every two years since 1985, six Australians have won gold at the IAAF world indoor championships; Mike Hillardt (1500m) in 1985, Kerry Saxby-Junna (3000m walk) in 1989, Melinda Gainsford-Taylor (200m) in 1995, Tamsyn Manou (800m) in 2008 and Steve Hooker (pole vault) and Fabrice Lapierre (long jump) in 2010.
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