Breen and Boden on track for Big Season

19 year old Melissa Breen has exploded back onto the track running her fastest 100m time of the year with a wind assisted performance of 11.43. Training partner and fellow ACTAS scholarship holder Lauren Boden also posted her fastest ever 100m time in the same race with 11.86. The wind reading of 3.7 means the time for Breen does not count as a qualifier for the Commonwealth Games despite being well under the 11.50 B standard.

Breen used the experiences of Europe as positive motivation to ensure she came out stronger and wiser and for season 2009/10. A strong technical focus on the track mixed with a solid strength block has already shown some great improvements in all facets of her training. Coach Matt Beckenham states that he is currently “in the middle of a 4 week look see period for Mel. I will then use the information I gather from these competitions to put together another quality block of training before again coming out even faster for the Commonwealth Games trials.”

Both Breen and Boden will now prepare for the Queanbeyan Gift this Saturday (5th December) where Boden will attempt to retain her title from 2008 and Breen will look to regain the title she won in 2007. They are the 2 back markers in the Queanbeyan Leagues club Women’s Gift with Breen off only 0.5m and Boden 2.5m.

2008 Queanbeyan Gift winner Brendan Matthews ran a solid 21.85 in the 200m and will look to step up to another level in an attempt to do a repeat over the 120m Gift distance. After winning off 9.5m last year he will find it much tougher off this year’s mark of 6.75m.

There will be 17 athletes from the MattyB DEPT. competing at QBN Park.

Other squad results included

• 15 year old Chloe Jamieson completed her final lead up competition prior to the Australian All Schools with 2 outstanding runs in the 200m and 90m Hurdles. Chloe broke through the 200m barrier for the first time running a very fast 24.50 (2.2w). She then ran the 90m Hurdles in 13.03 (2.3w) which is the fastest time for her age in the country. Despite both performances being wind assisted Chloe’s recent performances indicate that she will be extremely competitive in her 3 events (90m Hurdles, 200m Hurdles and 400m Hurdles) next week in Hobart.
• 18 year old Grant Billingham based in Wagga and coached by MattyB by correspondence completed the 100m in 11.10 and 400m in 49.76 showing signs of great things ahead in 2010.
• Derek Collinge (7.29) won the duel against Melissa Breen (7.32) by 0.03

Video Footage of AACT Summer Series click here

MattyB DEPT launches 2009/10 Domestic Season

The only thing hotter than the expected 39 degree temperature this weekend is the quality of competition at NSW Relay championships to be held at Blacktown this weekend.

The MattyB DEPT. will again represent the ACT thanks to the kind invitation of NSW athletics and will compete against clubs from all over NSW.  The team will travel up together on a bus and stay in a relaxed camp environment with many sleeping on air mattresses or in sleeping bags. The team building of the squad off the track this weekend is even more important than the successful exchange of the baton on the track  and will act as a springboard to a united approach to a big season ahead. Coach Matt Beckenham will have a total of 15 athletes running over the weekend in what symbolizes the start of the 2009/10 domestic season focused on strong performances in the NSW and Victorian Gift circuits and Commonwealth Games and World Junior selection.

The meet is set to be even more exciting , fun and full of close competition than last year where the squad was lucky enough to take home victories in the Men’s 4 x 100m, Men’s 4 x 200m, Women’s 4 x 100m and Women’s 4 x 200m.

The Men’s 4 x 100m relay was an outstanding race with 0.02 separating the top 3 teams with anchor Brandan Galic getting up in the photo finish.

Unfortunately Brandan Galic will not be there to bring the boys home this season but there will still be 2 strong men’s teams running for victory in the 4 x 100m and 4 x 200m relays.

The Men’s 4 x 400m team looks even stronger on paper this year. A squad trial was held recently to decide the make up of the team. World Championships representative Brendan Cole will lead the team with the first 3 placegetters from the trial Brendan Matthews, Tom Burbidge and Jesse Matthews making up the final team. Charlie Marques and Jaryd Cowley will run the heat allowing 2 of the top runners to be rested for one big effort in the final.

The Women’s 4 x 100m and 4 x 200m relay teams will again be led by National 200m Champion Melissa Breen. The 19 year will team up with 3 time 400m hurdles champion Lauren Boden, recent Macksville Women’s Gift Winner Ramona Casey and the outstanding 15 year old Chloe Jamieson who recently claimed the under 16 National 200m Hurdles record.

This year the squad will also field a Women’s 4 x 400m team. Lauren Boden will lead this team with the support of Ramona Casey, Tarin Nevin and Chloe Jamieson. Melissa Breen is very happy to be only the reserve for this event and it will take a great deal of negotiation to get her to the start line if needed.

MattyB DEPT. is expecting some strong competition this year with many athletes in their final stages of preparation for the Australian All Schools championships while others are keen to get out and support their clubs.

Good Luck to all competing this weekend and I’m  looking forward to having a drink with you over what is looking like an extremely hot weekend.

Men’s Teams

4 x 100m (A team) – Luke Storta, Brendan Cole, Patrick Elliott, Brendan Matthews

4 x 100m (B team) – Jesse Matthews, Stephen Sheppard, Tom Burbidge, Charlie Marques

4 x 200m (A Team) – Luke Storta, Brendan Cole, Tom Burbidge, Brendan Matthews 

4 x 200m (B Team) – Jesse Matthews, Patrick Elliott, Stephen Sheppard, Jaryd Cowley

4 x 400m (A Team) – Jesse Matthews, Brendan Cole, Tom Burbidge, Brendan Matthews (Reserves Jaryd Cowley, Charlie Marques)

Women’s Teams

4 x 100m (A team) – Ramona Casey, Melissa Breen, Lauren Boden, Chloe Jamieson (Reserve Tarin Nevin)

4 x 200m (A team) – Ramona Casey, Melissa Breen, Lauren Boden, Chloe Jamieson (Reserve Tarin Nevin)

4 x 400m (A team) – Tarin Nevin, Lauren Boden, Ramona Casey Chloe Jamieson (Reserve Melissa Breen)