Top runners in Adelaide for Australian Championship

Sunday December 11 Media release by Rosemary Cadden

Top Australian runners are in Adelaide today (Sunday December 11) to compete in the Australian Women's 100 Yard Championships.

The event is being held in Adelaide to commemorate the State's Centenary as the first place in the world to grant women their full democratic rights on the same basis as men - the right not only to vote but to also stand for election to Parliament.

The race will be conducted during the lunchtime break at Sunday's one-day international cricket match - Australia versus Australia A team - at Adelaide Oval.

The runners are:

• Melinda Gainsford (NSW), who has blossomed into a world-ranked 100/200 specialist, finished 4th in the 100m final at the Commonwealth Games, and 3rd behind Cathy Freeman in the 200m.

• Monique Myers (QLD), who this year added a Commonwealth Silver to her collection as a member of the 4x100 relay team.

• Kathy Sambell (SA), a relay specialist, who added to her medal tally a Commonwealth silver medal in the 4x100m in Canada this year.

• Kylie Hanigan (QLD), a member of the 4x400 relay team that crossed the line first in this year's Commonwealth Games but was subsequently disqualified.

• Anne Deller (VIC), who made her International debut in the Espoirs team that competed in South East Asia in September this year.

• Tania Van-Heer (SA), who was selected for the 4x400 metre event in the World Championships in Stuttgart in 1993, but missed out on representing Australia when the team was withdrawn due to injury.

• Sally Biggs (SA), 18, who this year was a member of the National Under-20 team.

Following the Women's Suffrage Centenary Australian Women's 100 Yard Championship, four other events conducted by the SA Athletic League will be held: the West End Export 120 metres Open; the West End Draught 400 metres Open; the West End Draught 400 metres Women; the West End Light 800 metres Open.