Pittman in Great Early Season Form

Australia's Commonwealth 400m Hurdles Champion Jana Pittman showed yet more of her developing abilities, when she clocked a new best of 53.76 in the Telstar meeting in Canberra on February 22nd. Finishing nearly three seconds ahead of New Zealand's Rebbeca Wardell [whose 56.41 was none the less a new National Record], the twenty year old Australian confirmed why she is one of the few female athletes who look capable taking the event back into the 52 second territory and looks set to challenge Julia Perchonkina dominance of the event.

Last season the Russian was the only athlete below 54 seconds, her 53.10 being over a second quicker than second ranked Pittman, whose pb then stood at 54.14. However the former double 400m/400H World Junior Champion has now also clocked new best at 200m and 300m 23.56 and 36.34 on the same day at Campbelltown [the latter being a new Australian Record] and will represent one of Australia's best Gold medal prospects in the Paris World Championships in August.

28 February 2003

mainbody