High training standards pay off for Max Stevens - 2013 Flinders Review

Teenage middle distance athlete Max Stevens enjoyed the biggest win of his athletic career when he took out the David Abbott Memorial 3200m on Sunday at the Flinders Athletic Club's annual carnival.

Stevens, a member of Adam Didyk's Team Tempo squad that includes World Championships representative Jessica Trengrove, controlled the race from the outset, working his way through the field, ensuring he maintained his advantage over the backmarkers. Stevens said he felt the quality of athletes at Team Tempo ensured he trained at a high standard which has contributed to his improvement.

"It's great because you have to train at a high level just to keep up."

Stevens, running off 310m, was challenged in the final lap by Flinders athlete Lachlan Scott (290m) but made a decisive move with 200m to go, maintaining a 5m lead on Scott as they entered the home straight. Scott's training partner Jordan Harvey (250m) finished 50m away in 3rd place.

Tjimarri Sanderson-Milera won his second race of the season, adding the Flinders 200m to his 300m win at Port Adelaide a fortnight ago.  The Pete Burdett coached athlete was determined to win the 200m after winning the event in 2012.

“I told Pete during the week that I really wanted to go back to back and win this race again”

Sanderson-Milera (11m) was the backmarker in the final and literally dived at the line, completing a perfect somersault as he edged out frontmarker Shaun Ryder (27m) and Lachlan Sheffield (16m) in 20.57secs.

Sanderson-Milera’s stablemate, Natasha Inglis made it a Grange beachies’ double when she won the Women’s 70m. In the closest result of the day, Inglis (8.75m) won by 0.001 second from Camden athlete Hettie Driscoll (9.25m) and Western District’s Ellie Meich (9.00m).

Later in the day, Driscoll overcame the disappointment of the 70m, when she won the Women’s 200m. Running off 28m, Driscoll had plenty in hand, as she won from the fast finishing backmarker Czenya Cavouras (15m) and Mikayala Round (24m) in a very quick 23.23secs.

Driscoll’s slick time of 23.08secs in the fifth heat was far too quick for 2011 World championship representative Piranee Steinert who ran a gallant fourth from her scratch mark.

Kurralta Park’s Neil Thomas continued on from his Port Adelaide Gift win, taking out the open 70m in 7.58secs. Thomas looks to be in career best shape as he heads towards the Bay Sheffield as one of  SA’s best hopes. His coach Aaron Harrison is a three time Bay Sheffield finalist and Thomas appears to be the best chance yet of Harrison coaching an athlete to a Bay final.

Thomas (7.25m) just pipped Western’s veteran David Miller (9.50m) and Tjimarri Sanderson-Milera (4.50m) in 7.58secs.

Flinders 2013 will be a meet to remember for McKinnon Parade athletes Dillon Tee and Eleni Glouftsis after the couple won the main 800m events of the day.

Tee (90m) easily won the open 800m in a time that was 2secs faster than anyone else in the race, running 1-48.73. Fifteen metres away in second place was his stablemate David Girolamo (105m), while backmarker Tim Earle (55m) made up ground to finish third.

Tee’s partner Eleni Glouftsis’s (70m) also had 15m to spare in winning the women’s 800m in 2-14.44 from Camden’s Lauren McHugh (95m) and Cheryl Zeuner (185m).

The junior events were dominated by the Bonner siblings with Riley Bonner making it back to back Flinders Under 20’s 800m sashes while younger sister Sophie Bonner made it two consecutive Under 14 wins when she took out the 70m to add to her 120m win at Port Adelaide.

In a day for “keeping it in the family”, the father/son combination of Peter and Joshua  made it a big day for the Bigg’s. Peter Biggs won the Over 35’s 200m while 16 year old Joshua Biggs won the Under 17’s 200m.  

In the newest addition to the Flinders’ program, Peter Brennan turned back the clock when he streaked away from the field to take out the Over 45’s 400m, giving McKinnon Parade a Flinders’ treble.

The next SAAL meeting is at Henley this Friday night.

FLINDERS RESULTS

70m Open FINAL
Place, Name, Handicap, Time
1 Neil Thomas (7.25) 7.58
2 David Miller (9.50) 7.60
3 Tjimarri Sanderson-Milera (4.50) 7.67

70m Women FINAL
1 Natasha Inglis (8.75) 8.476
2 Hettie Driscoll (9.25) 8.477
3 Ellie Meich (9.00) 8.52

70m U/14's FINAL
1 Sophie Bonner (12.50) 8.57
2 Sam Whitbread (6.00) 8.58
3 Molly Farmer (9.00) 8.76


200m Open FINAL
1 Tjimarri Sanderson-Milera (11) 20.57
2 Shaun Ryder (27) 20.77
3 Lachlan Sheffield (16) 20.93

200m Women FINAL
1 Hettie Driscoll (28) 23.23
2 Czenya Cavouras (15) 23.50
3 Mikayla Round (24) 23.66

200m U/17's FINAL
1 Joshua Biggs (27) 21.16
2 Ben Syrus (18) 21.37
3 Kyle Roberts (22) 21.45

200m O/35's FINAL
1 Peter Biggs (28) 21.72
2 Trudy Schrapel (44)
3 David Miller (12)

400m O/45's FINAL
1 Peter Brennan (56) 49.10
2 Mark Barnett (63) 50.89
3 Mark Howson (77) 51.08

800m FINAL
1 Dillon Tee (90) 1-48.73
2 David Girolamo (105) 1-50.09
3 Tim Earle (55) 1-50.32

800m Women (Straight) FINAL
1 Eleni Glouftsis (70) 2-14.44
2 Lauren McHugh (95) 2-16.30
3 Cheryl Zeuner (185) 2-16.54
4 Jemma Nguyen (44) 2-19.02

800m U/20's (Straight) FINAL
1 Riley Bonner (70) 1-55.59
2 Connor McIvor (32) 1-56.56
3 Corey Watkins (45) 1-56.75

3200m Open
1 Max Stevens (310) 8-50.32
2 Lachlan Scott (290) 8-50.95
3 Jordan Harvey (250) 9-13.08

Max Stevens has been a very positive part of Team Tempo over the winter, and works extremely hard. Was great to see his efforts pay off on Sunday.