Sprint ace a winner as he stretches out to 800m
ELIJAH Winnington’s need for speed will ensure he continues to focus on the shorter distances despite the Gold Coast star’s compelling case to take things up a notch.
Bond University pair Winnington and Jenna Strauch claimed five Olympic scalps between them at the Sydney Open at the weekend.
The Richard Scarcecoached pairing showed they really mean business as the countdown clock ticks for next month’s World Championship trials in Brisbane.
It was a case of leaving the best till last at the inaugural Sydney Open/UniSport Nationals meet, when Winnington outsprinted Commonwealth Games 1500m gold medallist Jack McLoughlin (QUT) to take out the Olympic 800m distance by just 0.06.
Winnington, 19, clocked a seven-second personal best time of 7:55.75 and powered down the final 50m in 26.79 to McLoughlin’s 27.33 to steal the win on the touch.
But Australia’s premier distance boys need not worry: Winnington has no immediate plans for the 800m ... yet. “I don’t think I’m going to put the 800 into my program, I’m still focused on the 200 and 400m; it was just a training thing coming in here and working my aerobic capacity,” said Winnington.
“I might do it at trials but I don’t think it will be a major target; it was really just a bit if fun and a hitout – but I certainly wasn’t expecting to go a seven-second PB.
“The reason I won’t focus on it, is because I think it will take away the speed I need for the 200m and I think the 200m helps the 400m, just as much with the easy speed I normally have.”
Earlier 22-year-old Strauch won the 100 and 200m breaststroke double in Sydney.