Results
Photos
Fourteenth AMA Winter Throwing Championships Report
Canberra. October 3 – 5, 2009
With 60 competitors, 47% of whom were women, coming from almost all states of Australia as well as New Zealand and the USA, the 14th AMA Winter Throwing Championships again proved a competitive highlight for all who attended. Over the three days of the competition as athletes heaved, grunted and laughed, many new records were set, many friendships renewed or started and many ideas about training and technique were exchanged. Particularly gratifying was seeing the number of athletes who have attended ten or more of these championships now up to twenty. Ten competitors were first timers and another dozen or so sent apologies. Additionally the almost 50% attendance by women at this our second highest roll call of competitors is significant. Generally women number 30% – 40% at AMA Championships. Astonishingly, 30% of the men were in the 60-64 age group with that figure rising to almost 50% with the addition of the men 70-74.
ACTVAC has run these championships for their duration since Ray Green made a submission to AMA (at that time AAVAC) to hold a throwing championship. That idea has expanded with the development of the Multi-events championships (Qld) and the recent decision by AMA to hold a half marathon championship in Tasmania. Perhaps we may hold a national relays championship some time in the future.
It was with some trepidation that the organising team approached the long weekend. We had our eyes and ears fixed firmly on the weather forecasts for the three days. From a week out it looked like we were in for seriously disruptive conditions. Sure enough each of the days of competition tested our resolve. Winter had returned with a vengeance. Each day was cold, wet and windy, particularly for the organising team who had to get to the Masson St throwing ground about 7:00am each day to prepare the ground. Jayne Hardy was always first there (and for that matter the last to leave) and other competitors, particularly Graeme and Astrid Rose, helped out when they arrived. Putting up the tents is always a great team building exercise! But we were lucky. It hardly rained during competition, the ground though damp was quite firm, circles and run-up were relatively dry most of the time and there was plenty of shelter from the rain and wind when required. And there was no repeat of the storm and hail that we had last year. What is it about the October long weekend!
Day one commenced with the introduction of each athlete to the assembled athletes as they were called forward individually to receive their Championship medallion and participation certificate. Competition during the day was in the Shot, Discus, Javelin and Hammer. Highlights were Karyne Di Marco’s (NSW30) Championship Record (CR) hammer throw of 58.47m, only one and a half metres from a B qualifier for the Commonwealth Games; Mary Thomas’s (NSW65) CR of 30.69m in the javelin; Mary Wahren’s (ACT75) CR of 15.60 also in the javelin; and Anatoly Kirievsky’s (NSW30) CR of 26.50 in the hammer. There were some close contests between various athletes in different age groups – In the discus – Denise Palmer (ACT55) beating Kate Clarke (NSW55) 24.09m to 23. 72; Keith James (NSW65) beating Ray Green (ACT65) 42.79m to 40.95m; Andrew Atkinson-Howatt (NSW50) beating Robert Hanbury-Brown (NSW50) 34.72 to 33.94; In the shot – Ray Green beating Graeme Rose (Vic65) and Keith James 11.31m to 11.07m and 11.03m; Tom Hancock (Vic70) beaten by Ron Simcock (NSW70) 11.38m to 11.87m; Tony Baker (NSW55) beating Geoff Crumpton (ACT55) 10.58m to 10.50m; Jayne Hardy (ACT45) beating Kim Debrot (NSW45) 9.25m to 8.60m; Sharon Gibbins (ACT50) in her first competition since major back surgery, beating Lesley Dawson (SA50) 8.87m to 8.36m; Tom Hancock beating Ken Priestly(Vic70) 41.66 to 40.68 in the hammer.
While there were many competition highlights on day one the absolute highlight concerned our US visitor, Cindy Lea Arbelbide. During the women’s Shot Put, a kangaroo, unseen in the nearby trees and scrub, was disturbed by a “trespassing” male athlete. The animal headed straight for the throwing field much to the unrestrained delight of Cindy Lea. All she had wanted from the trip was to see a kangaroo and here was one within 20 metres of her putting on a display that was magnificent. Cindy Lea’s display was almost as magnificent as she jumped, squealed, hopped, laughed, cried and yelled with delight. Of course, along with many other questionable stories from a variety of authors, we told her that it was all pre-arranged!
Day two is set aside for the Throws Pentathlon and many athletes set championship records – Anatoly Kirievsky 36.85m in the javelin; Graeme Rose 4384 points total; Keith James 43.14m in the discus; Tom Hancock 42.46m hammer and 4322 points total; Ewen Drummond (ACT85) 8.19 weight; Karyne Di Marco 17.52 weight and 3531 points; Jayne Hardy 33.08m javelin; Mary Thomas 26.71m javelin; Mary Wahren 25.11m hammer, 15.45m javelin, 4067 points score. Again there were some close contests – Andrew Atkison- Howatt 2814 points to Robert Hanbury-Brown 2719 points; Graeme Rose 4384 points to Keith James 4098.
Scores over 1000 points for an individual event are difficult to get yet six athletes achieved this mark during the competition. They were Graeme Rose 1021 for a 15.83 weight; Tom Hancock 1055 for a 15.87 weight; Karyne De Marco 1073 for a 56.29m hammer and 1147 for a 17.52m weight; Jayne Hardy 1104 for a 38.05 hammer; Raylea Rudov (ACT65) 1025 for a 12.98 weight; Mary Wahren 1092 for a 25.11 hammer.
Following the competition and after a suitable rest 40 people attended the traditional BBQ at Urambi Village Community Centre. Sharon Gibbins single handedly prepared all the food, while the cooking was performed by Ray Green with help from Frank Nugent. Because no one contracted any serious illness we’ll conclude the food was a success! Thanks to Phil Frkovic’s slide show of magnificent photos we were able to watch ourselves in competition mode. Some were not very pretty! Denise Palmer, Wendy O;Brien and Joyce Schmidt were presented with 10 years of competition T shirts. The Local Organising Committee (Jayne Hardy and Barbara Burton, logistics; Trish and Bryan Thomas, IT; Raylea Rudov, program and Sharon Gibbins, treasurer) was presented to the crowd by convenor Ray Green and each received a box of chocolates (great for training). The usual hilarity was provided through the presentation of the “Throw-up” awards. A great night.
The third day of competition is always a trap for the unwary – so many events, so little time and so much weight. This is the day for the 56lb and 100lb weight throws, the heavy weight pentathlon and the ordinary weight throw just to keep things honest. Not a day for the faint hearted.
Karyne Di Marco 17.26m, Jayne Hardy 11.85m, Raylea Rudov 13.40m, Geoff Crumpton 15.24m, and Graeme Rose 16.02m were standout throwers in the weight throw; although perhaps overshadowed by the fantastic contest between Tom Hancock and Ken Priestly with Tom defeating Ken 16.68m to 16.53m. The heavy weight pentathlon again saw Karyne Di Marco outstanding with a CR score of 5380, that is an average of over 1000 points per event and the only person to score over 5000 points on the day. Others who had excellent results in this difficult event in which the athlete throws two heavy weights below their usual weight, two above their usual weight as well as their normal weight included – Geoff Crumpton 4049 points, Graeme Rose 4668 points, Ken Priestly 4696 points, Harry Wynhoven (Vic80) CR 4049 point and Jayne Hardy CR 4637 points. Close contests were seen between Ray Chambers (ACT50) 2764 to Andrew Atkinson-Howatt 2729; and the minor placegetters in the men 65 with Ray Green on 3591, Brian Senior (NZ65) 3585 and Don Quinn (Qld65) 3568.
The final two events of the day are the 56lb and 100lb weight throws for both men and women. Lesley Dawson set an Australian record (AR) in the 56lb throw with 3.53m while Jayne Hardy set a CR of 4.19m. Harry Wynhoven set a CR of 3.49m. In the 100lb Karyne Di Marco set an AR of 2.51m while Lesley Dawson made it a double AR with 1.72m. Jayne Hardy set a CR of 2.15m. Geoff Crumpton set an AR of 3.42m.
The Champion Thrower Awards were presented to Karyne Di Marco and Tom Hancock for outstanding performances over the three days. Ray Green outlined some program changes for 2010, with the weight throw taken from day three and being added to day one, which will commence at 10:00am.
The tired but smiling faces, the affectionate hugs and kisses at the completion of the championships suggested to the organisers that they had managed to provide another successful event. Many indicated they would be back for more in 2010. We hope they make it and we hope they bring others to this unique event. There is no doubt our success is going back to the US and NZ as the two athletes from these countries, Cindy Lea Arbelbide and Brian Senior were most enthusiastic to take our ideas back to their respective countries and get some competitions started. We wish them well.
My sincere thanks go to all who attended and assisted in the running of our event. See you next year.
Ray Green
Convenor