Sally McLellan of Australia in her 200m heats (© Getty Images)
Biographies of the Leading Australian Athletes
ALEISHA ANDERSON
Event: 3000m Steeplechase
Age: 18 yrs (6/11/85)
Ht/Wt: 171/58
Personal Best: 10:21.86
Coach: Lyn Foreman
Home city/town: Perth
International Record: 2002 World XC – 27th, 2002 World Schools XC – 2nd
Interest Facts: A second year Medical student, Aleisha’s hobbies include surfing and photos. Her coach, Lyn Foreman, was a 400m hurdler who represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games and World Championships.
NAOMI BLIGH
Event: Long Jump
Age: 17 yrs (6/9/86)
Ht/Wt: 174/64
Personal Best: 6.42m
Coach: Fred O’Connor
Home city/town: Sydney
Interest Facts: Her coach, Fred O’Connor, is aged 80 years and a veteran athletics champion.
WERNER BOTHA
Event: 800m, 4x400m relay
Age: 18 yrs (17/12/85)
Ht/Wt: 184/75
Personal Best/s: 1:48.19, 48.32
Coach: Roy Rankin
Home city/town: Brisbane
International Record: 2002 World Juniors – 800m heat
Interesting facts: Born in Pretoria (RSA), Werner and his family arrived in Australian in June 1997 and by 1999 was an Australian citizen. One of his heroes is South Africia 800m runner who has the same name as he. He is a student and University of Queensland.
JACINTA BOYD
Event: Long Jump, 4x100m Relay
Age: 18 yrs (10/2/86)
Ht/Wt: 166/63
Personal Best/s: 6.35m
Coach: Ray/Denis Boyd, Harvey Cheetham
Home city/town: Alexandra Headland, Qld
International Record: 2002 World Juniors – LJ 6th, 2002 World Schools – LJ 1st, 2003 World Youth – LJ 9th
Interesting facts: Her parents were Olympians. Her dad, Ray a pole vaulter, won 11 National titles and represnted at two Olympics. Her mum, Denise a sprinter, also won 11 national titles and respresnted Australian on 10 occasions at all major championships.
RONNIE BUCKLEY
Event: Discus
Age: 18 yrs (15/6/86)
Ht/Wt: 194/159
Personal Best/s: 59.66m
Coach: Mike Edwards/Ronald Buckley
Home city/town: Broadford, Vic
International Record: 2003 World Youth Championships – Discus Gold
JAMIEE-LEE HOEBERGEN
Event: 400m, 4x400m relay
Age: 16 yrs (17/2/88)
Ht/Wt: 170/61
Personal Best: 53.78
Coach: Penny Gillies
Home city/town: Woonona, NSW
International Record: 2003 World Youth Championships – 400m bronze
Interesting facts: Jamiee-Lee’s mum was born in GBR, her dad NZL and she has Dutch heritage. Celebrates her birthday one day after Cathy Freeman whom she raced in 2003, recording a then pb of 53.91 and placing second to Cathy in on one of her last ever races. Her 94-year-old grandfather saw her run for the first time ever when she competed in Manchester in July.
ALYISHA HOUSE
Event: Triple Jump
Age: 15 yrs (15/11/88)
Ht/Wt: 164/55
Personal Best/s: 13.13
Coach: Rosemary Clarke
Home city/town: Wagga Wagga, NSW
Interesting facts: A year 10 student, Alyisha is one of the youngest in the team. She is related to Herb Elliott and St Kilda AFL captain Aaron Hamill.
ALWYN JONES
Event: Triple Jump
Age: 19 yrs (28/2/85)
Ht/Wt: 187/75
Personal Best/s: 16.30
Coach: Vassili Grichtchenkov
Home city/town: Adelaide
Interesting Facts: Broke the Australian U20 record in Manchester 10 days prior to the World Juniors. Is coached by one of the greatest Russian triple jumpers ever, Vassili Grichtchenkov who leapt 17.55m in 1983 and won a silver at the 1982 European Championships.
RAFFAEL LAURINS
Event: Discus, Shot
Age: 19 yrs (22/5/85)
Ht/Wt: 187/87
Personal Best/s: 58.71m/18.64m
Coach: Gus Puopolo
Home city/town: Moe, Vic
Interesting facts: Raff has six brothers and one sister.
SALLY MCLELLAN
Event: 100m, 100m Hurdles, 4x100m relay
Age: 17 yrs (19/9/86)
Ht/Wt: 166/66
Personal Best/s: 11.57, 13.46
Coach: Sharon Hannon
Home city/town: Gold Coast
International Record: 2003 World Youth Championships: 100m H – gold, 200m – 5th; 2003 World Championships 4x100m relay - heat
Interesting facts: Aged 16 years, she became the youngest ever Australian represented at the World Championships when she competed in the 4x100m relay in Paris.
KATERINA MIROSHNICHENKO
Event: Pole Vault
Age: 18 yrs (18/1/86)
Ht/Wt: 178/63
Personal Best/s: 4.00m
Coach: Sergey Miroshnichenko
Home city/town: Gold Coast
Interest Facts: Katrina was born in Krasnodar RUS and came to Australia with her family in 1999. She became an Australian citizen in 2004. She has a tattoo on the right side of her stomach of a cat’s foot print which represents how extreme her sport is (pole vaulting) and her nick name ‘cat’.
CHRIS NOFFKE
Event: Long Jump
Age: 16 yrs (6/1/88)
Ht/Wt: 188/80
Personal Best: 7.74m
Coach: Gary Bourne
Home city/town: Noosaville, Qld
Interest facts: He boards at High School in Brisbane. The holder of the Australian U16 record (7.38m), his goal is to break the Australia U18 long jump record of 7.78m held by World Junior team mate John Thornell. One of his hobbies is surfing and he is related to Australia cricketer Ashley Noffke.
JOSHUA ROBINSON
Event: Javelin
Age: 18 yrs (4/10/85)
Ht/Wt: 166/63
Personal Best: 75.60m
Coach: Richard Brockett
Home city/town: Brisbane
International Record: 2001 World Youth Championships – Javelin 5th, 2002 World Juniors - Javelin qual round
Interesting Facts: Josh competed well at the 2001 World Youth, but was below par at the 2002 World Juniors. He goes into the World Juniors ranked No 2 in the world.
ADAM RUTTER
Event: 10,000m Walk
Age: 17 yrs (24/12/86)
Ht/Wt: 170/58
Personal Best: 44:02.15
Coach: Bill Nappin
Home city/town: Sydney
International Record: 2003 World Youth Games – dnf (ill), 2004 World Race Walking Cup - 9th.
ANNABEL THOMSON
Event: Javelin
Age: 17 yrs (12/5/87)
Ht/Wt: 184/75
Personal Best: 53.88m
Coach: Bill Nappin
Home city/town: Deniliquin NSW
International Record: 2003 World Youth Championships – javelin 9th
Interesting Facts: Lives in a small country town 750km from Sydney. Competed nationally in Equestrian events. She is a very talented all round thrower and also qualified for the World Juniors in the discus.
JOHN THORNELL
Event: Long Jump, 4x100m Relay
Age: 19 yrs (22/4/85)
Ht/Wt: 178/62
Personal Best/s: 7.97m, 10.64
Coach: Fred O’Connor
Home city/town: Sydney
International Record: 2001 World Youth Championships – LJ 11th, 2002 World Juniors 6th, 2002 World Schools Games – LJ 1st, HJ 2nd
Interesting Facts: His coach, Fred O’Connor, is aged 80 years and a veteran athletics champion. He and his school mate, Fabrice Lapierre both placed top-6 in the long jump at the 2002 World Juniors.
SIMON WARDHAUGH
Event: Hammer
Age: 18 yrs (14/1/86)
Ht/Wt: 194/111
Personal Best: 72.31m
Coach: Brett Green
Home city/town: Gold Coast
International Record: 2003 World Youth – Hammer 6th
David Tarbottom for the IAAF
