The MattyB DEPT. finished off the domestic season in a blaze of glory at the Nationals Championships in Perth with 3 outstanding victories.

The first gold medal was won by Brendan Cole (50.64) who took out the Men’s 400m Hurdles from the always dangerous Tristan Thomas (50.69). In what was the closest race of the meet Cole held on to secure his 4th national title.

19 year old Melissa Breen dominated the women’s 100m claiming victory by over 0.2 seconds in the final with a Commonwealth Games B standard of 11.50. It was a perfect way to finish off an almost perfect season for Breen.

To complete the trifecta Lauren Boden blitzed her rivals in the Women’s 400m Hurdles to claim victory in another Commonwealth Games A standard time of 55.86 which was over 2 seconds clear of runner up Tamsyn Lewis. This was also Boden’s 4th national title despite still only being 21 years of age.

In other results for the squad recent Stawell Gift winner Tom Burbidge just missed a personal best in the 400m running 48.29 and Tarin Nevin finished 3rd in her heat of the 400m Hurdles in 63.98 to just miss a finals berth.

Boden, Breen and Cole were all automatic selections for the Commonwealth Games which was named on Monday morning. Only WA institute of sport coach Alex Parnov, with 4 athletes, has more athletes on the team which is a great record for a private coach not fully employed by any institute.  

 All 3 athletes will now shift their focus to Japan for a series of meets in Early May before starting their preparation for the Commonwealth Games in October this year.

Thank you does go to the following supporters of the MattyB DEPT.

• ACTAS / AIS / AA – for their support of Melissa, Lauren and Brendan through the Canberra agreement and also allowing the coach to utilise the track and gym plus some financial support to develop and nurture all his athletes in the squad. I hope the continued success will lead to even greater flexibility and opportunity for support and services in the future for Matt Beckenham as a coach with a squad and not only on an individual athlete basis so that I can have the best environment to develop more athletes in the future.
• Affinity Construction – for their sponsorship of the MattyB DEPT.
• Oakley – for their product support for the coach and multiple athletes in MattyB DEPT.
• Mizuno – for product support for Lauren Boden and Tom Burbidge
• Asics – for product support for Melissa Breen and Brendan Cole  
• Keren Faulkner – for her expert physiotherapy support of MattyB DEPT.
• Jaryd Cowley, Brendan Cole and Grant Billingham – for their expert massage therapy support of MattyB DEPT.
• ACTAS strength and conditioning staff especially Phil Moreland, Dean Redzic and Tim Driesen – for being a sounding board of ideas and technical instruction with strength and conditioning.