Sally Pearson takes 16th national title, hurdling 12.73!

GOLD COAST (AUS, Feb 17): World champion Sally Pearson took her 16th national title, clocking 12.73 (+1.1) in the 100 m hurdles at the Australian Championships. Although five hundredths outside her world lead, she was well ahead of runner-up Michelle Jenneke (13.14), who also confirmed her place on the team. Three-time Commonwealth Games representative Kathyrn Mitchell won the javelin with 65.51m, short of her recent Oceanian record, with Kelsey-Lee Roberts second on 62.21m. Former world junior silver medallist Cedric Dubler added more than 100 points to his PB as he won the decathlon with 8229. The world lead came courtesy of PBs in the javelin (56.37m), shot (13.01m), 100m (10.63), 110m hurdles (13.86) and pole vault 5.20m. Nina Kennedy emerged winner from a high-quality pole vault final, registering 4.60m. Former world junior silver medallist Liz Parnov cleared 4.25m in second and former world youth champion Vicky Parnov was equal third with 4.10m. New Zealand’s Olympic bronze medallist Eliza McCartney no-heighted. Brandon Starc won the high jump with 2.28m, a world lead at his third attempt. Another world lead came in the 800m, but for the winner of the B final Joseph Deng, who clocked a PB 1:45.71, although the gold went to Luke Mathews 1:45.90. Nicholas Hough also went to the top of the world rankings as he took the 110m hurdles in 13.76/-0.2. Doing likewise were Linden Hall (4:07.55 in the 1500m, ahead of Zoe Buckman 4:08.15) and Anneliese Rubie (51.92m in the 400m, 2nd Bendere Oboya 51.94). Other winners were Maddison Wesche (16.45m in the shot) and Murray Goodwin (46.24 in the 400m).