18 members of the Sydney University Athletics Club (SUAC) are readying themselves to compete at Australia’s premier single day athletic event, and showcase their talents against some of the world’s best athletes on Saturday night at the Sydney Track Classic.
Having such a large representation of athletes at this meet seems fitting for SUAC, given the event started in 2003 as the ‘University of Sydney Track Classic’ before being re-named the ‘Sydney Track Classic’ in 2006.
The SUAC charge will be led by the hottest junior property in track and field in Australia at present, Nick Hough. Hough will run the 100m and 200m. Undefeated in the 200m this year in Australia, you need to go back two full years to find anyone who has run quicker at this distance in the country. Hough will face a strong field including Calesio Newman from the USA and Australian Olympic representative Tim Leathart. With good conditions Hough could put the Australian junior record under pressure.
City to Surf winner Lara Tamsett will continue her preparations for the World Championships in Moscow in August with a run in the 5000m, while Anneliese Rubie will run the 200m hoping to continue the outstanding run of good form she has had this season.
James Nipperess will make his season debut over the 3000m steeplechase and he will face Olympic representative Yousef Abdi over the distance. Alix Kennedy will continue her return from injury and take on Berlin World Champion Dani Samuels in the discus.
In the men’s’ 400m Josh Ralph will look to climb the ladder a little higher after his win in the NSW Championships 400m over the weekend, taking on the best field of 400m runners assembled this season. Ian Dewhurst, who ran a cracking 400m hurdles in Hobart two weeks ago, will meet three Olympians in his event and should be in the mix. Justin Merlino, the three time national hurdles champion, will run the biggest 100m of his career, where he will give the SUAC 100m record a nudge.
Other SUAC competitors include Lizzie Jenkins (200m), Milly Clark (1500m), Chrissie Grun (javelin), Piyush Kumar (100m), Jack Colreavy (steeplechase), Andrew Giltrap (shot put), and Ross Jeffs (long jump).
Not to forget the three newcomers who have recently accepted scholarships to SUAC. Internet sensation – and more importantly sixth in the world at the recent World Junior Championships – Michelle Jenneke will run the 100m hurdles; the second fastest man in the nation at 100m Jarrod Geddes will run the 100m; and Jenny Blundell, coming off a second at the NSW championships on the weekend, will run the 1500m.
