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IAAF World Youth Champion Matt Denny (Qld) has easily qualified for the men’s discus final, while Filoi Aokuso (NSW) improved her lifetime best three times in the women’s event to place 7th, to provide the highlights on Day 4 of the IAAF World Junior Championships in Eugene (USA).
Denny, the World Youth champion, progressed to the final with a huge 62.38m on his first throw in the second qualification group. The Queenslander was keen to make up for a disappointing effort yesterday when he failed to qualify for the hammer throw last round.
“I came in with a plan to make amends for yesterday. I didn’t let nerves get the better of me. I am in form to go further than my PB and my goal like anyone’s is to win. I am going to pull out whatever I can.” said Denny.
Denny will be joined in the final by teammate Mitch Cooper (Qld), who after a shaky start, threw a lifetime best of 59.31m on his third throw to go into the final ranked 8th overall.
Martin Markovic (CRO) led the qualifiers with 63.71m, while favourite Sven Martin Skagestad (SWE) qualified with 59.79m, only the fifth longest throw of the session.
In the women’s discus final, Aokuso’s opening throw of 53.61m, set the scene for what was to come, by exceeding the lifetime best she set in the qualification round by 28cm.
Her third throw went beyond that mark too, before launching yet another best of 53.92m on her penultimate throw. The 18 year-old has aspirations to be an Olympian declared she wanted to be “as half as good as Dani Samuels”.
The competition was won by Izabela Da Silva (BRA) with a world junior leading throw of 58.03m.
18 year-old Joel Baden (Vic) placed eighth in the men’s high jump final with a leap of 2.17m, his second best ever.
In the men’s 5000m final, Morgan McDonald (Vic) placed tenth in a time of 14.10.08, less than one second outside his lifetime best.
In the high jump, Cassie Purdon (Qld) sailed over 1.85m and into the high jump final. The leap was a new lifetime best, the second in two weeks for the Queenslander who declared she was “on a roll”.
The men’s 4x100m relay team of Josh Clarke (NSW), Jesse Usoilli (Tas), Jacob Despard (Tas) and Anthony Collum (NSW) ran 40.18 to progress to tomorrow’s final (Sunday AEST).
Australian is currently ranked 9th on overall top 8 placings, behind top ranked US.
Aussies in action on Day 5
Session commences at 7.30 am AEST Sunday 27 July
- Women’s 100m hurdles semi-final – Kat Hunt (NSW)
- Men’s Pole Vault final – Jack Hicking (Vic)
- Women’s Triple Jump final – Aliyah Johnstone (Qld)
- Men’s Discus final – Matt Denny (Qld) Mitch Cooper (Qld)
- Men’s 4 x 400m relay heat- James Kaluschke (Qld), Dan Forsyth (Qld), James Kermond (NSW), Christian Foster (NSW), Sam Reiser (Vic), Joshua Robinson (Qld)
- Women’s 4x400m relay heat – Ella Solin (WA), Courtney Geraghty (Qld), Samantha Lind (Tas), Georgia Wassall (NSW), Georgia Griffith (Vic), Emily Lawson (Vic)
- Men’s 4x100m relay final
- Men’s 800m semi-final – Luke Mathews (Vic)
- Women’s 3000m steeplechase final – Stella Radford (Vic)
With thanks to Pat Birgan
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