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THOMAS MAKES IT THREE FROM THREE
Kurralta Park sprinter Neil Thomas continued his dream start to the SA Athletic League season with his third sash in as many weeks when he won the 120m Henley Gift on Friday night. The Henley win follows Thomas's Port Adelaide 120m Gift and Flinders 70m sashes from the first two SAAL meets.
The Aaron Harrison coached Thomas running off 10.25 metres was joined on the podium by his stable mate Ryan Hancock (9.75) who finished half a metre behind in 2nd place with Camden's James Cibich (7.00) another half metre away.
Thomas is now aiming for a fourth sash with the $6000 Whyalla Gift in a fortnight.
"It's a dream start, I've got the first three, now I just to win Whyalla" Thomas said.
Aaron Harrison's TMS stable didn't stop with the Gift quinella. The stable won both the women's events with Hayley Openshaw taking out the 120m and Amy Robb winning the 400m.
Openshaw (11.25) who turned 22 on Saturday, beat Camden front markers Lauren McHugh (19.50) and Hettie Driscoll (14.25) in 14.33secs. It was Openshaw's first win in open company.
Robb (42) finished a metre clear of Hettie Driscoll (50) and 2010 Camden Classic winner Lucy Buckley (34) in 56.30secs.
The most impressive run of the night came from 2006 World Junior's 400m representative Alex Bubner. In recent years Bubner has rarely run the 400m, but his fantastic run around the field from the backmark of 8m suggests he may run the distance more regularly. Bubner powered to the lead with 150m to go and held a good margin over the Camden duo of Ashley Brown (31) and Matthew Cousins (33) to win in 49.07secs.
The McKinnon Parade stable continued its domination of SAAL middle distance events with Matthew Konetschka winning the 800m Open. It was Konetschka's second (after winning the Port Adelaide 1000m) and the stable's ninth win this season.
Under 14 state sprint champion Hamish Petherick followed on from his brilliant performance at the state All Schools titles the previous week, where he won the 100m/200m/400m treble, to win the Under 14's 400m. Running from a generous 35m the Brighton High School student blitzed the field by 15m in 52.76secs.
In other under-age events, Western District's Fraser Huggett won the Under 20's 400m denying runner-up Lewis Abdul a junior double after Abdul had earlier won the Under 17's 120m.
Despite a handicap penalty for his Port Adelaide win, David Miller won his second race for the season when he took out the Over 35's 120m. The Western District's athlete (8.75) beat home back marker Ross Nitschke (8.00) and Flagstaff Hill's Peter Biggs (14.50) in 13.48secs.
The Over 35's 800m became a battle between the three back markers, with Salvador Jurado (44) edging out Steve Wilson (30) and Andrew Wright (44) in 2-07.26.
Next SAAL carnival is the rich Whyalla Gift on November 16.
RESULTS
120m Henley Gift
1 Neil Thomas (10.25) 12.73
2 Ryan Hancock (9.75) 12.77
3 James Cibich (7.00) 12.84
120m Women
1 Hayley Openshaw (11.75) 14.33
2 Lauren McHugh (19.50) 14.44
3 Hettie Driscoll (14.25) 14.58
120m U/17's
1 Lewis Abdul (13.50) 12.82
2 Keegan Knoll (9.00) 13.03
3 Kyle Roberts (13.75) 13.05
120m O/35's
1 David Miller (8.75) 13.48
2 Ross Nitschke (8.00) 13.55
3 Peter Biggs (14.50) 13.65
400m Open
1 Alex Bubner (8.) 49.07
2 Ashley Brown (32) 49.57
3 Matthew Cousins (33) 49.76
400m Women
1 Amy Robb (42) 56.30
2 Hettie Driscoll (50) 56.53
3 Lucy Buckley (34) 56.71
400m U/20's
1 Fraser Huggett (40) 49.97
2 Lewis Abdul (28) 50.17
3 Connor McIvor (26) 50.47
400m U/14's
1 Hamish Petherick (35) 52.76
2 Casy Buchanan (40) 54.21
3 Natassia Messent (60) 54.70
800m Open
1 Matthew Konetschka (74) 1-54.99
2 Jordan Harvey (80) 1-55.51
3 Murlin Remphrey (66) 1-55.74
800m O/35's
1 Salvador Jurado (44) 2-07.26
2 Steve Wilson (30) 2-07.48
3 Andrew Wright (44) 2-08.20
