21 year old Melissa Breen has finished off a busy 2 week competition stimulus period with an impressive 100m in 11.44 (1.7w) at Blacktown in Sydney.

“It was a long day after getting up at 615am and driving up from Canberra and then running at 11am” Breen explained. “I actually didn’t feel super quick today after so many races recently, the early start and 3 hour travel on the day so I know there is improvement to be had from the run.”

Breen has now had 13 races in 11 days with 11 in Tasmania in 3 gifts, a 60m (7.33) in Canberra on the 5th Jan and the 100m today at Blacktown.

“I will now get back into a training block to fit around the Brisbane and Adelaide meets in January” said Breen when asked what was coming up. She will compete in a 4 x 100m relay as well as an individual 100m in Brisbane and then do the 100m and 200m in Adelaide.

“I am only 0.15 off the ‘A’ standard for the Olympics with that run so that gives me great confidence that I can get under 11.29seconds during the domestic season and be selected for the 100m in London.”

In other squad results at Blacktown Ollie Wurm ran 54.67 in the 400m Hurdles. When asked about the race Wurm said “It wasn’t that pretty but it was just good to get one under the belt.” Technically he made a few errors which shows great room for improvement and he is sure to improve on his personal best in the next few months.

Chloe Jamieson (62.06) and Rachael Carnegie (67.48) also ran in the 400m Hurdles. It was Chloe’s first race since World Youth and Rachael’s first completed 400m Hurdles race in a couple of years. Both will improve massively from this competition.

Daniel Batman (10.86) and Brandan Galic (11.06) with a 0.5w rounded out the results for the MattyB DEPT. Both are on the comeback trail and will continue their rapid improvements in the coming weeks.

Video Footage of today

In a solo run at AACT interclub Lauren Boden has opened up with her first 400m Hurdles of the season in a blistering time of 56.62 which is an Olympic Games “B” qualifier.

“I have never broken 57 in my first run for the season so to do it tonight is awesome” Boden explained. The fact she has opened up with her first run slightly earlier due to the earlier Olympic trials is even better.

Boden will next run at the Brisbane track classic on the 14th January in the 4 x 400m relay and will then run over the 400m Hurdles again at the Hunter track classic on the 21st January.

In other results Melissa Breen carried her great form from the Tasmanian gift carnival running a quick 7.33 in the 60m (1.5w). Tom Burbidge after a slow start finished home too strongly in the 400m running 48.45 with training partners Jesse Matthews (50.08) and Luke Storta (50.33) wnd and 3rd. Finally after making some errors in the 400m Hurdles Rachael Carnegie competed in the 200m running strongly in a mixed race to clock 25.47 (2.4w)

Footage available here

On a cold summers night in Canberra national 400m Hurdles champions Brendan Cole and Lauren Boden have run outstanding flat 400m’s to signal that their winter training block has been on the mark.

30 year old Cole crossed the line in a new personal best of 47.44 to beat fellow training partners Tom Burbidge (48.31) and new man to the squad Ollie Wurm who ran his fastest time in several years with his opening run of 48.60. Luke Storta was 4th in a season’s best of 50.60.

Boden wasn’t to be out done by the boys crossing the line in the fastest time she has ever run in Australia with 53.47. It was a much more controlled race by Boden who was then able to finish off strong in the final stages.

In other results Brendan Matthews and Melissa Breen had to do with far from ideal sprinting conditions in their 100m races. A minus reading of 3.6 and 0.6 lead to times of 11.36 and 11.91 respectively. Despite the times there were quite a few comments made about the improved technique of both runners. Breen in particular showed great form in the final 50m after making some technical errors out of the blocks hurting her drive and top end speed.

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