Athletics: Agonising wait for Winchester

By EUGENE BINGHAM

SYDNEY - Discus thrower Ian Winchester's best shot at Olympic glory wobbled in the wind before falling short of the qualifying mark he was aiming at yesterday.

The 27-year-old Aucklander easily won the discus title at the Australian track and field trials in Sydney, but his throw of 59.56m was 4m less than the Olympic standard.

"I felt on top of things but they were not going anywhere," Winchester said.

He was not helped by a tail wind which affected the flight of his throws.

"They were flying well - it's just that then the tail wind catches it. That can take off one or two metres right there."

Selectors had hoped Winchester would repeat his 64m throw from May to cement his place in the team.

Now they will have to decide whether his form of recent months at local competitions in Brisbane is enough to convince them he is worthy of a slot in the Olympic team.

"I know I had to do well here and I know I threw not as well as expected,"said Winchester.

"I'm happy everything is going in the right direction but it's their call."

Zion Armstrong, another athlete out to impress the selectors, nearly paid the price for a fast start in his 400m hurdles heat.

After surging to an early lead, he faded to third and only made today's final as the fastest third-place qualifier. His time of 51.5s was nearly two seconds short of the Olympic standard.

Jane Arnott won her 400m heat in 53.52s, then set her mind on forcing her way into the team. The A standard mark is 52.50s.

"Tomorrow I am going to have to really let go if I want to make the team," she said. "I have run a 52.23 but that is not good enough."

Sprinter Chris Donaldson cantered away to victory in his 100m heat in 10.44s, leaving his best for a showdown in today's final against Australian stars Matt Shirvington and Patrick Johnson.

Like other athletes and spectators who shivered in the vast Stadium Australia throughout the day, Donaldson complained about the cold - though he found the trials a good opportunity for competition.

"We're a bit light on sprinters in New Zealand so it's fantastic to come and race and train with these [Australian] guys," he said.

Middle distance runners Toni Hodgkinson and Shaun Farrell also looked impressive in their races.

Farrell cruised for second in his 800m heat with a time of 1m 48.39s, setting him up for a crack at the 1:46.3 mark today.

Hodgkinson showed fine pre-Olympic form when she charged away from a top field in the 1500m.

The race was billed as a clash between the four top Australians but in the end, Hodgkinson controlled it.

She ran from the front, keeping in touch when a surge went on with two laps to go, before breaking away to win comfortably in 4:13.09 - a time that reflected the tactical nature of the battle for Games slots.

"I didn't need to run fast," Hodgkinson said.

"I just wanted to cover whatever was going to happen in the race."

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