Athletics Australia - News - Athletics team finishes on a high
Nick Hough and Raheen Williams ran brilliantly for Oceania to win bronze in the medley relay. ©Athletics Australia
The Australian track and field team has ended the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore exactly how it started – with a surprise medal.
Michelle Jenneke won silver in the 100m hurdles on the first morning of finals and tonight in pouring rain, in the final event of the program, Nick Hough and Raheen Williams ran brilliantly for Oceania to win bronze in the medley relay.
Fijian Lepani Naivalu ran a strong opening 100m leg and Jonathan Nmaju of Papa New Guinea ran the 200m before passing to Hough for his 300m leg in the unique format event. The hurdler/sprinter looked like a 400m champion moving the team from fifth to fourth and back in the medal hunt. Williams then mowed down Asia in the home straight.
Even more impressive was the fact Williams was backing up from his personal best performance in the 400m hurdles final only an hour earlier. This medal will be some consolation for his disappointment at placing sixth in his pet event.
“I didn’t want to leave this meet without doing something good and I knew this 400m was my last chance. The boys did a great job to keep us close enough and allow me to get redemption for the hurdles," Williams said.
The 17-year-old from Perth was visibly disappointed with missing a hurdles medal and the fact he lowered his previous best from 52.74 seconds to 52.38 was little consolation.
It is clear that Williams has amazing athletic potential. He still managed a big personal best in wet conditions, from lane one and slowing dramatically over the final 15 metres with the medals out of reach.
In the girls' medley relay tonight three Aussies also ran well for Oceania to finish fourth. Jenneke ran the 100m, Monica Brennan the 200m and Jenny Blundell the 400m.
“It was really great to be a part of something so different,” Blundell, who finished fifth in the 1000m final earlier in the day, said.
Monday night’s events concluded the athletics competition at the Youth Olympic Games. Overall the 17 Australians had a fantastic meet.
Along with Jenneke’s silver and the boys' continental relay bronze, Nick Hough won the 110m hurdles, Liz Parnov pole vaulted to silver and Brandon Starc literally flew for his high jump silver medal.
More than half of the Australians made A finals, produced personal bests or both.
Team coach Matt Beckenham is extremely pleased and knows how much these athletes will benefit from participating in the Youth Olympic Games.
“Generally, the concept of this Olympic Games has given them a massive opportunity and exposure to what the Olympic Games are all about, including the whole ethos of competing for your country plus all the cultural and educational elements,” Beckenham said.
“For these kids it’s the first stepping stone to what is hopefully a long career. For many of them they’ve embraced it and thrived on it and that led to the multiple PBs. To come here under the pressure of an Olympic Games and produce a PB is all you can ever ask for from an athlete. We were lucky enough to have four athletes win a medal for themselves and Australia and this is something they’ll cherish forever.”
Beckenham shared the coaching and coordination role for the 17 track and field athletes at these Games with Rosie Ditton and Alex Stewart.
The 17 athletes will spend Tuesday participating in a popular day-long cultural program, Island Adventure.
With thanks to Andrew Reid and the AOC
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