AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TRIALS AT A GLANCE
Saturday, April 1
Women's pole vault final (1800 AEDT) - Rio bronze medallist and two-time New Zealand champion Eliza McCartney is a shoo-in. Silver shapes as a contest between training partners Nina Kennedy and Liz Parnov. Kennedy recently cleared a London world championships-qualifying 4.55m while three-time national champion Parnov has a season best 4.45m.
Women's 400m final (2021) - Sprint darling Morgan Mitchell is essentially unbeatable and just has to claim her third title to confirm her London spot. The Rio Olympian has already taken a comfortable heat victory and is aiming to better her 51.25 PB.
Men's 400m final (2029) - National champion Steve Solomon has made a rushed trip home to defend his title after completing his medical entrance exam at Stanford University. It marks a return to domestic competition for a guy who made the 2012 London Olympics 400m final as a teenager only to suffer a long series of injuries.
Men's 800m final (2037) - National title-holder Luke Mathews has only raced sparingly since Nitro Athletics and will be challenged by fellow Rio Olympian Peter Bol, who has a season's best 1:46.98. Equal national record-holder and 2013 champion Alex Rowe is another to watch.
Sunday, April 2
Men's long jump final (1230 AEST) - The absence of five-time national champion Fabrice Lapierre opens the door for Christopher Mitrevski (7.97m PB) and world juniors bronze medallist Darcy Roper. Also on the start list is Sri Lankan champion VPA Jayasiri with a fresh PB and world titles qualifier of 8.15m.
Women's 200m final (1350) - Olympic semi-finalist Ella Nelson is chasing a fourth consecutive crown and is the easy favourite against Melissa Breen and 400m specialist Mitchell. Nelson just needs gold to confirm her London selection after her 23.00 qualifier, the fastest time by an Australian this year.
Men's 200m final (1358) - Australia's leader Tom Gamble will likely have to run another PB to hold off pre-race favourite and rising NZ star Joseph Millar. Gamble ran a 20.61 PB in Canberra and is closing on the qualifying mark of 20.44. He recently clocked a Kiwi record 20.37. Two-time national champ Alex Hartmann is also in the mix.
Women's 100m hurdles final (1410) - After seven national crowns and more than a decade's unrivalled dominance, Olympic champion Sally Pearson's reign is under threat from Michelle Jenneke. Jenneke, who failed to advance from her Olympic heat, clocked 12.99 in Canberra last month while Pearson, coming back from multiple serious injuries, managed 12.91 last week.
Women's 800m final (1442) - A six-way fight in one of the most competitive events. Three-time defending champion Brittany McGowan is making a comeback from injury but hasn't raced this year. She'll be pushed hard by 15-year-old sensation Keely Small and Lora Storey.
