Hough improves national record

Nick Hough

World champion Sally Pearson (Qld) has won the women’s 100m and the women’s 100m hurdles at the 26th Meeting International de la Ville in Nivelles (BEL) this morning AEST, as Australian Spark Nick Hough (NSW) improved the national under 20 110m hurdles record in Mannheim (GER).

In the 100m, Pearson clocked a season best 11.20 (w: -1.2) to take line honours from compatriot Melissa Breen (ACT, second, 11.55) and Carima Louami (FRA, third, 11.65).

Bursting out of the blocks and never challenged in the sprint hurdles, Pearson clocked 12.52 (w: +0.4), just 0.03 shy of her own world lead, to win from Anne Zagre (BEL, second, 12.89) and CindyBillaud (FRA, third, 13.09).

Sharon Hannan, the coach of both Pearson and the Australian women’s 4x100m relay team, said: “Sally and I are very happy with her hurdles, this is a tiny village in the middle of Belgium where she wasn’t going to be challenged and she came out and still ran a really great time.”

“The 100m result was awesome as well, it’s the fastest she has ran since the Perth Track Classic in March 2011 and that shows her speed is continuing to improve. Congratulations to Melissa too, she look relaxed out there which is a good result pretty much fresh off the plane from home.”

Pearson’s two victories continue her 2012 unbeaten run. She is yet to be defeated domestically or internationally in the 100m, 200m, 60m hurdles (indoor) or 100m hurdles this year. The Australian record holder and IAAF World Athlete of the Year, she will next compete at the Samsung Diamond League in Paris (FRA) on July 6.

Breen’s run today is her first after arriving in Europe with her training partners Brendan Cole (ACT) and Lauren Boden (ACT) earlier this week. Improving her personal best in the 100m (11.30) and 200m (23.30) during the2012 National Athletics Series, she will pending official selection make her Olympic debut in London (GBR) in the women’s 100m.

Both competing in the 400m hurdles in Nivelles, Cole clocked 50.60 to take line honours in the men’s event, while Boden won the women’s race in 57.07.

In the 800m, Tamsyn Manou (Vic) crossed first in the women’s event in a time of 2:03.65, ahead of Marlies Manders (NED, second, 2:08.75) and Erin McIlveen (GBR, third, 2:11.09), while Lachlan Renshaw (NSW) was edged out for second in the men’s event in 1:46.45.

Meanwhile at the Bauhaus Junioren Gala, the Australian Spark have begun their international build-up for the IAAF world junior championships in Barcelona(ESP) next month.

Leading the charge was Spark team leader Hough, who improved the Australian under 20 110m hurdles record of Sam Baines (Vic) to 13.38 to win his heat. Advancing fastest to the final, he placed second in 13.51 (w: +1.2) behind JamesGladmann (GBR, 13.51), with Jussie Kanervo (FIN, 13.63) third.

Hough is a seven-time gold medallist individually at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships across 100m, 200m and the 110m hurdles. On debut for Australia at the Youth Olympic Games in 2010, he won a gold medal in the 110m hurdles (13.37) and a bronze medal in the sprint medley relay.