Hurdles star to focus on training rather than competition Pearson pulls out
SALLY Pearson will devote the week to training after pulling out of tomorrow night’s athletics meet in Brisbane.
Pearson had entered the 100m and the 100m hurdles, both of which have drawn international entries, at the meet at Nathan’s State Athletics Facility to aid athletes preparing for next month’s Commonwealth Games.
Pearson’s tentative plan coming out of her world indoors campaign early this month was to compete at tomorrow’s meet and also the last meet before the Games at the SAF next Wednesday night.
“She is not racing on Thursday and will be focusing on her training for the Games,’’ Australian head coach Craig Hilliard said yesterday.
Hilliard said relay quartets had yet to be decided for Australia’s teams for the men’s and women’s 4x100m relays which will conclude tomorrow’s meet.
Pearson and three- time Paralympic gold medallist Kurt Fearnley were yesterday named cocaptains of the 109- member Australian athletics team for the Gold Coast Games.
Fearnley will compete in the T54 1500m and wheelchair mara- thon at the Commonwealth Games. He won gold in the 1500m in Delhi, and silver in the same event four years ago in Glasgow.
“To be nominated as a team captain is a bonus and one I’m very pleased to accept,” Pearson said.
“I’m looking forward to using my experience at major championships and three previous Commonwealth Games to lead and mentor our young Australian athletes.”
In the women’s 100m individual race tomorrow night, Australia’s only contestant in the event at the Gold Coast Games, Melissa Breen, has entered a field headlined by England’s world championships finalist Dina Asher- Smith.
Olympic 1500m champion Matt Centrowitz, of the US, continues his Australian campaign in the 800m tomorrow night, with Australian Games 800m entrant Josh Ralph heading the Australian entry list.