Day One, March 16
Tuesday's news from the NationalsFrom the Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday 18/3/97. "Achilles injury no barrier to flying Ferris" written by JACQUELIN MAGNAYWorld bronze medallist Michelle Ferris disregarded a niggling Achilles injury to blitz the field in the women's 500m time trial at the Launceston Silverdome last night. But Ferris's outstanding ride to clock 35.98s despite limited training since the Olympics, where she won silver in the sprint event, was overshadowed by the controversial disqualification of two of her competitors. Emma Livingstone, of Queensland, pulled her foot at the start of the race, reminiscent of world champion Shane Kelly's gaffe at the Atlanta Olympics. And six starters later, Lyndelle Higginson, from Chelsea, Victoria, was ruled out of the event after her disc wheel disengaged at the starting gate. There was some conjecture about whether the mishap was mechanical or caused by a technical glich with the gate. Ferris, 20, said she thought there was something wrong with the gate and complained that the starter counted down to one, rather than zero, which confused some of the women. "But I was pretty happy with my ride. I was slower than my Australian record but I am not in full training and I haven't got my fitness or endurance; so to win is a bonus," Ferris said. Higginson and Livingstone were allowed to post a time after the event was completed, with Higginson clocking 37.63s, a time which would have won her the bronze medal behind Ferris and second placegetter Felicity Myers of Sydney. Higginson, 18, said her unofficial ride was fuelled by anger, although she didn't feel that it helped her time. "I hope to come back in the sprint and show them what I can do," she said. Nonetheless 14-year-old sensation Kerri Meares of Middlemount, near Rockhampton would have won the open silver medal based on her time in the under-17 500m time trial on Sunday night. Meares was timed at 36.33s, which was a world best under-17 time. It will not be officially recognised by the world body UCI because cycling officials did not have the required drug- testing officers in place, nor did she use the required controversial starting gate. An offer to Meares to attempt another world record time later in the week was rejected by the Queensland management, who feared the event would place unwanted pressure on the young schoolgirl. National track cycling coach Charlie Walsh strenuously defended his Australian Institute of Sport program yesterday after Gary Neiwand's positive drug test, AAP reports. Walsh said none of the AIS members had taken banned substances intentionally to boost their performances but believed athletes might need even more education about banned substances. "We have a very proud history that we do things the right way - this is one of those very rare circumstances where something's been done with an inattention, but not with an intention to increase performance," Walsh said. The Australian Cycling Federation announced on Sunday it would fine Neiwand $1,000 for testing positive to the banned stimulant pseudoephedrine, which he took in an over-the- counter cough medicine. More from the NationalsFrom the national daily, The Australian, Tuesday 18/3/97. "Ferris trounces opposition" written by RUPERT GUINNESS.Olympic Games silver medallist Michelle Ferris last night defended her position as the queen of 500m time trials at the national cycle titles in Launceston. As defending champion the Victorian was last to start and clocked a blistering 35.98s. She beat NSW's Felicity Myers, who was second in 37.46, and West Australia's Sandra Smith, placed third, in 37.86s. Ferris narrowly failed to better her national 500m record of 35.47s which she set in Perth last year. But the convincing margin of her win confirmed she is by far the most qualified 500m time triallist in Australia. The event, in which she has won bronze medals in the past two world titles, is set to make its Olympic debut in Sydney in 2000. NSW's Bradley McGee showed no ill effects from Saturday night's successful national hour record bid in his first ride of the national track titles yesterday. The 21-year-old started his campaign by setting two national records for the 4000m individual pursuit on the way to last night's final. His first came in the qualifying round yesterday morning, while the second was in last night's semi-final. In the first McGee clocked 4m 24.92s, breaking the record of 4m 25.480s which was set by South Australia's Tim O'Shannessy at last year's nationals. McGee then made mincemeat of his opposition in the run-up to the final, winning his quarter-final and semi-final convincingly. After clocking 4m 29.77s in the quarter-final McGee then set his second record in the semi-final with 4m 22.34s in beating South Australia's Luke Roberts, who he lapped. "After Saturday night my 'glutes' had almost seized up. I could barely walk. They are still sore now," McGee said. "I was a bit flat (at first) but then I know that my recovery is really good. In the hour record my heart rate averaged 204 beats a minute but it can drop to about 120 beats in four or five minutes. "I have always been an efficient rider but I am better still. Today I rode a 96-inch gear which felt like I was on a warm-up training gear it was going so smoothly." Day Three, March 18No racingDay Four, March 19Men's sprint, quarter-finals: D Hill (WA) 11.47sec and 10.98 d M Heath (SA) 2-0 S Eadie (NSW) 11.39 and 11.54 d S Collins (Vic) 2-0 A Peden (NSW) 11.60 and 11.45 d S Wilson (Qld) 2-0 D Day (Qld) 11.18 and 11.25 d J Katakasi (SA) 2-0 Ride-off for 5th to 8th: 5. Heath 11.27 6. Collins 7. Katakasi 8. Wilson Semi-finals: Hill 11.08sec and 10.09 d Day 2-0 Eadie 11.13 and 10.76 d Peden 2-0 Final: Hill 10.84s and 11.03 d Eadie 2-0 Peden 10.95 and 10.99 d Day 11.20 Women's 3000m individual pursuit, qualifying: 1. L Tyler-Sharman (WA) 3:33.759sec (national record) 2. K Barrow (Vic) 3:39.35 3. N Peterson (Vic) 3:49.98 4. S Jochinke (SA) 3:51.41 5. S Smith (WA) 3:53.27 6. K Bates (SA) 3:55.03 7. J Wilson (NSW) 3:56.02 8. R Chadwick (SA) 4:00.21 9. E Livingstone (Qld) 4:04.87 10. S Kowalczuk (Vic) 4:05.66 Quarter-finals: Smith 3:49.29 d Jochinke 3:50.99 Peterson 3:50.24 d Bates 3:54.04 Barrow 3:44.90 d Wilson 3:57.96 Tyler-Sharman 3:38.50 d Chadwick 4:01.96. Semi-finals: Barrow 3:42.36 d Smith 3:51.21 Tyler-Sharman 3:37.95 d Peterson (caught with half lap left). Under-17 5km scratch race: 1. R Gilmore (NSW) 6min 49.64sec 2. K Johnson (NSW) 3. R Demarte (Vic) Under-19 500m time trial: 1. K Parker (SA) 37.46 2. C Jack (Qld) 37.58 3. P Coxon (NSW) 37.63 Tyler-Sharman breaks Watt recordThis story is from the national daily, The Australian and was written by RUPERT GUINNESS.Olympic bronze medallist Lucy Tyler-Sharman stoked the fire of her bitter rivalry with Kathy Watt yesterday by smashing Watt's national pursuit record at the Australian track cycling championships in Launceston. The 31-year-old West Australian, who is favourite for today's final of the national 3000m individual pursuit title, took the record away from Watt in yesterday morning's qualifying round. Tyler-Sharman, a bronze medallist in the Olympic points race last year, clocked 3m 33.759s, slicing almost 4.5s off Watt's record of 3m 38.240s set in Perth at last year's national titles. Tyler-Sharman had convincing wins in the quarter- and semi-finals to earn a berth in tonight's final against Victorian Karen Barrow. For Watt, absent at Launceston because of a hamstring injury, Barrow's impressive performance provided further selection headaches. Two riders can be picked for the pursuit event at the world titles in Perth in August. Tyler-Sharman and Barrow yesterday bettered 3m 40s, believed to be the criteria set out in an as-yet-to-be-unveiled national selection policy. An elated Tyler-Sharman, the world title pursuit silver medallist, yesterday called for 23-year-old Barrow, who clocked 3m 39.95s in her qualifying round, to be selected ahead of Watt. "That was her best ride, and she has done under the 3m 40s which the other Victorian (Watt) hasn't," said Tyler-Sharman, who trains with Barrow, now in her second year under Australian Institute of Sport track coach, Charlie Walsh. "I would like to see her have the other pursuit spot over the other Victorian. "She does the whole (AIS) program. She and I train side by side with the guys, who are eight of the strongest endurance riders in the world. "Barrow does what they say, when they say. She's not causing the problems; the other Victorian is." Yesterday Watt was unavailable for comment, but her manager and fiance Carey Hall said Watt was frustrated by the turn of events. "Records are made to be broken and it (Tyler-Sharman's record) is a very good time," Hall said. "But Kathy is frustrated for not having been able to race." Tyler-Sharman's performance yesterday also made up for her failed attempt at Watt's national 3000m record at Adelaide last Saturday. However, she is confident the pursuit world record is within her grasp tonight. In yesterday's qualifying ride, cool conditions minimised her hopes of beating the world record of 3m 30.974s, set by Marion Clignet, of France, at last year's world titles in Manchester. "I have always believed that this track is the fastest in the world. It was a bit cold (during qualifying). I think there are one to two seconds in there in warmer conditions. If it's hot enough (in the final), I think we can be within sight of the world record," Tyler-Sharman said. Tyler-Sharman said her meteoric rise in pursuiting silences any argument that the AIS program is too hard or a "closed shop". "It is not a closed shop. I came in from the outside and worked my way in," said the former sprinter, who was born in the United States. "There are chances for everyone. People are too quick in this country to knock the AIS. "They (the AIS) want to see people who are committed, who will do it no matter what it takes them." Report from SMHThis report from Sydney Morning Herald written by JACQUELIN MAGNAYControversial cyclist Lucy Tyler-Sharman obliterated the national record of her enemy Kathy Watt in the 3,000m individual pursuit and then launched into Watt at the Australian championships in Launceston yesterday. In the latest spat between the cycling pair, Tyler-Sharman insinuated that Australian cycling officials should stop pandering to Watt and called for Watt to be dropped from the national team. But Watt, who withdrew from the championships last week because of a persistent hamstring injury, has in turn accused cycling officials of trying to drive her out of the pursuit event by implementing retrospectively applied qualifying standards in the yet-to-be-seen selection policy. The Australian Sports Commission also bought into the fray when its board demanded that significant changes be made to the selection policy and reiterated that the policy must be in place otherwise its $3 million in funding will be withdrawn from the sport. The drama began early in the day when Tyler-Sharman, a silver medallist in the event at the last world championships, clocked 3min 33.75s in the qualifying rounds, slicing nearly five seconds off the Australian record posted by Watt at last year's national championships in Perth. Tyler-Sharman's AIS teammate, Karen Barrow from Melbourne, was the next fastest qualifier with 3:39.35s - a significant time if the draft selection policy is ever adopted and approved, as 3:40s is believed to be the cut-off point for national team selection. Watt hasn't clocked a time under 3:40s within the proposed selection timeframe of July 1996 to March 30, 1997, prompting her manager Carey Hall to accuse officials of "rigging" the selection standards. "It is a bit suss that the women have to achieve such a low time (compared with the men) and announce the time that is required after the time period has elapsed, especially when they know that someone hasn't done that time," he said. "It is ridiculous, it is like telling someone that they have to win an Olympic medal last year, but only telling them that requirement this year." Tyler-Sharman accused Watt of being a "problem-maker" and suggested that AIS riders should have preference in team selections. "I'm tired of hearing all these provisions for somebody. I feel the riders who do the work, the riders who stay with the AIS and the program and work with the team, they are the riders who should go into the selection spots," Tyler-Sharman said. "I don't feel that is being too much of a bitch to say that - Karen (Barrow) has been slogging it out with us all along, why shouldn't Karen go?" The selection debacle became even more of a farce when it became obvious yesterday that certain cyclists had been told of the proposed selection standards, while others hadn't - even though the ASC has not approved the policy. Yesterday, AIS executive director John Boultbee, who has been charged with approving it on behalf of the ASC board, finally received a final draft from cycling's lawyer. However, he said the draft had not addressed the concerns the board had about implementing retrospectively applied qualifying times. "The biggest problem is tardiness," he said. While it remains to be seen if Watt is announced in the national squad at the end of the championships, the biggest selection controversy could surround Tyler-Sharman's husband, Graham Sharman, who is a fellow AIS scholarship holder. Queenslander Danny Day won the 1,000m time trial on the opening night of the championships, with Sharman in fourth spot behind Day and two AIS pursuit specialists. In 1992 Day won the national championship and was left out of the national team. He is privately funded and is not linked to the AIS or its coach Charlie Walsh, and he is not confident of gaining one of the two world championship spots (the other is likely to go to world champion Shane Kelly). Instead, he believes Sharman, as an AIS rider, will be favoured. "You can live in hope but you can't spend your whole life thinking you are riding to get on the team ... you do it for personal achievement," Day said. "I am not going to hold my breath, I've won before and been left out." Meanwhile, the Australian Olympic team manager Mike Turtur looks like becoming another casualty of the Watt-Walsh-Tyler-Sharman dispute. Turtur has been overlooked as manager of the world championship team, with Sydney's Mark Fulcher sought for the job instead. Day Five, March 21Men's under-19 1000m time trial: 1. B Lancaster (Vic) 1:05.59 2. T Kersten (NSW) 1:05.74 3. J Hopkins (NSW) 1:05.90 Under-19 30km points race: 1. M Rogers (ACT) 47 points 2. G Brown (NSW) 37 3. S Davis (Qld) 19 4. B Lancaster (Vic) 17 Under-17 sprint final results: B Kersten (NSW) 11.74sec and 11.58 d J Dajke (SA) 2-0 for gold J Rogash (Qld) 12.06 and 12.09 d D Inabinet (Vic) for bronze. Olympic sprint qualifying: SA (B Aitken, M Heat, J Katakasi) 54.51sec d Japan (S Aomori, K Shiraki, K Sudo) 59.33 Qld (D Day, S Wilson, W Jennings) 54.78 d Vic (T Clarke, T Wilksch, S Collins) 55.22 NSW (S Eadie, J Kersten, A Peden) d Tas (T O'Shannessey, L Bryan, N Clarke) 54.75 Olympic sprint final: NSW 52.59sec d SA Tas third from qualifying results. Women's 3000m individual pursuit final: L Tyler-Sharman (WA) 3min 36.42sec d K Barrow (Vic) 3:41.39. S Smith (WA) third from semi-final results Scratch race: 1. S Smith (WA) 12min51.30 2. C Zucker (SA) 3. K Bates (SA) 4. N Peterson (Vic) 5. J Wilson (NSW) 6. S Jochinke (SA) 7. K Barrow (Vic) Seventh and Final dayFinal results from men's 20km scratch race on Friday night (after protests): 1. B Aitken (SA) 23.42.70 2. S Wooldridge (NSW) 3. G Chadwick (Qld) Keirin, qualifying, Heat 1: 1. D Hill (WA) 2.50.21 2. S Collins (Vic) 3. J Colquhoun (Tas) 4. J Katakasi (SA) 5. P Dobson (NSW) Heat 2: 1. S Eadie (NSW) 2:41.85 2. T Clarke (Vic) 3. T Homan (Tas) 4. S Wilson (Qld) 5. B Aitken (SA) disq. Heat 3: 1. D Day (Qld) 2:42.88 2. A Peden (NSW) 3. M Heath (SA) =4. L Bryan (Tas) =4. T Wilksch (Vic) 6. K Adachi (Japan) Repechage: 1. Peden 2:23.99 2. Homan 3. Colquhoun 4. Heath 5. Clarke 6. Collins Keirin final: 1. Hill 2:39.38 2. Peden 3. Homan 4. Eadie 5. Day 6. Colquhoun 7. Heath 8. Clarke Under-17 2000m individual pursuit, final results: 1. D Lopez (NSW) 2:23.34 d G Bates (SA) 2:22.89 3. S Stephenson (NSW) Under-19 Olympic sprint, final: 1. NSW (J Hopkins, S Hopkins, T Kersten) 54.09sec d Vic (B Lancaster, D Pell, J Dowdell) 55.72 3. Tas (D Cutting, M Maine, J Clarke) Under-17 500m time trial record attempt: B Kersten (NSW) 33.76sec (national under-19 record). Under-19 15km scratch race: 1. M Rogers (ACT) 18.05.76 2. T Harvey (Vic) 3. H Clarke (Vic) 40km points race: 1. N Grigg (SA) 44 points 2. E Hollands (WA) 18 3. J Colquhoun (Tas) 14 Women's under-17 2000m individual pursuit, final: 1. R Linke (SA) 2min 33.22sec d J Robinson (SA) 2:35.27 3. A Burns (SA) Under-17 sprint, final: K Meares (Qld) 13.07sec and 12.86 d R Demarte (Vic) 2-0 ride-off for bronze: H Chrzanowski (Qld) 12.65 and 12.73 d R Gilmore (NSW) 12.92 2-1 Sprint, final: M Ferris (Vic) 12.43 and 12.34 d S Smith (WA) 2-0 ride off for bronze: F Myers (NSW) 12.77 and 13.19 d C Zucker (SA) 2-0 Australian Team for World Track Titles August 27-31, PerthMen: B Aitken (SA) N Clarke (Tas) B Cooke (Vic) B Dawson (NSW) D Day (Qld) S Eadie (NSW) N Grigg (SA) D Hill (WA) S Kelly (Vic) L Kuss (SA) T Lyons (SA) B McGee (NSW) G Neiwand (Vic) S O'Grady (SA) S Pate (Vic) L Roberts (SA) M Sparnon (SA) G Sharman (WA) Women: K Barrow (Vic) M Ferris (Vic) S Smith (WA) L Tyler-Sharman (WA) Australian team for Junior World Track Championships in July at Durban, South Africa:Men's team: B Brooks (NSW) G Brown (NSW) J Hopkins (NSW) T Kersten (NSW) B Lancaster (Vic) M Rogers (ACT) S Davis (Qld) K Selin (SA) Women's squad (one to be omitted): A Burns J Robinson R Hubbard R Linke K Parker (SA) |