Hale beats Williams in big sprint showdown

TASMANIAN Jack Hale saw off Queensland’s national 100m champion Trae Williams in their slick early season showdown in Canberra on Saturday.

Hale’s win in 10.25sec — his second fastest career time — over Williams (10.30) was a first serious competitive step for both towards world championships selection.

Hale injured a hamstring at the national titles at Carrara Stadium last March at a meet in which Williams won his second national 100m title and ran a slashing 10.10sec personal best.

Meanwhile, teenager Katie Hayward has shot to third on the national all-time list with her victory at the Australian 20km walk championships in Adelaide yesterday.

In her debut race over the distance, Hayward clocked 1hr 29min 25sec, the fastest ever by an Australian woman on home soil. It also lifted the 18-year-old Queenslander to third on the Australian alltime list behind only Jane Saville and Claire Tallent.

Rio Olympics bronze medallist Dane Bird-Smith won the men’s 20km title in 1:20.52. MORGAN McDonald was the standout Australian performer at the prestigious Millrose Games indoor athletics meeting in New York.

McDonald finished a close second behind American Grant Fisher in the 3000m in 7:42.76, moving him to second on the Australian all-time list. Pat Tiernan was fifth.

NSW’s Ollie Hoare’s 3min 54.83sec indoor mile at the Millrose Games was just .06 of a second outside the Australian record.