Athletics: Feeling groovy for big event

By EUGENE BINGHAM

SYDNEY - Queen Bea is finding the groove again.

After a winter hibernation in sunny Queensland, discus thrower Beatrice Faumuina has warmed up nicely for next month's Olympics.

The former world champion came to the scene of next month's Sydney Games for the Australian track and field trials, and all but conquered with a sixth-round throw of 63.46m.

With two throws of 60m and another of 58m, Faumuina began Saturday's competition at Stadium Australia gently.

Then she settled into that state of mind and body an athlete must find in competition - the groove.

"It's a fine line. You are in the groove one minute and out of it the next,"said Faumuina, who already has a place reserved in the athletics team due to be named today.

"Now I've got to make sure that I'm in the groove for the whole six rounds."

The 25-year-old's best throw was only 31cm behind that of Australia's big hope, Lisa-Marie Vizaniari, who has had a series of quality international performances including an IAAF Grand Prix victory in June.

It was Faumuina's second 63m-plus throw in a week, after a 64.75m in Brisbane last Tuesday.

She has spent the past few months in Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, working with coach Les Mills in search of the form that led to her 68.52m personal best in 1997.

"It's a beautiful place to train," she said. "It's nice and quiet, and you don't have too many distractions.



"I'm in a lot better shape than last year. Now is time for fine-tuning, working on technique. I can't wait for the opening ceremony because then it's going to really hit home."

New Zealand's other top-ranked athlete, middle distance runner Toni Hodgkinson also turned in a solid performance at Saturday's trials, breaking two minutes for the 800m.

Hodgkinson ran 1m 59.80s behind Australian champion Tamsyn Lewis' 1m 59.41s. Lewis led all the way, clocking 58.70s through 400m, with Hodgkinson close behind.

The second placing followed Hodgkinson's victory in the 1500m at the trials on Thursday, boosting her confidence about running both events next month.

"The ideal scenario for me is to make the final in the 800, but it's so cut-throat.

"The first two go through automatically, and if you get shut out into third and your heat is a little bit slower, you don't go through."

Fellow Sydney-bound runner Chris Donaldson beat Australian sprint glamour boys Matt Shirvington and Patrick Johnson in the 200m.

Donaldson soaked up the atmosphere of one of the day's most hyped races and charged to the line with a run that surprised even him.

"I had no idea where I was until I crossed the line,"he said of his 20.96s dash for second place behind Queenslander Darryl Wohlsen (20.79s.)



High-jumper Glenn Howard also finished with a second placing, leaping 2.18m.

The 24-year-old cleared on first attempt at 2.10m, 2.14m and 2.18m, then failed at 2.22m, the winning height achieved by Australian record holder Tim Forsyth.

If those were the high points, the low points came in the 1500m and 5000m races, where Australians jostling for places on their Olympic team hampered New Zealanders looking for qualifying times.

Hamish Christensen and Phil Clode tried to force the pace in the 1500m, but found no one else interested in chasing a fast time.

They were eventually swallowed up by the field though Christensen was placed second in the official results.

Australian rivals Craig Mottram and Nick Howarth were fighting their way to the line when Mottram fell 30m from the end. Howarth was later disqualified for pushing.

As Mottram and Howarth continued to push and shove each other off the track, Christensen realised that his time of 3m44.17s was well off the 3m36.8s Olympic standard.

United States-based Michael Aish was also disappointed with his 13m 47s, fifth placing in the 5000m.

His fate is now with the selectors, who will decide whether two near-miss attempts at the 10,000m time merit a place in the team.

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