South Aussie stars line up for Invitational
Published Tue 07 Feb 2023
The likes of Rohan Browning, Ashley Moloney, Bree Masters, Matt Denny and Matthew Centrowitz (USA) are flying to compete in the Chemist Warehouse Adelaide Invitational and write a new chapter in the second of the re-vamped Chemist Warehouse Adelaide Invitationals.
Add into that a decent sprinkling of local South Australian talent and the Adelaide Invitational is set to deliver an outstanding night of athletics across the track, throws and jumps program.
SA's most recent World Championships athlete Aidan Murphy, as well as fellow World U20 competitors Darcy Miller and Marley Raikiwasa will join Olympian Matthew Clarke, four-time Paralympian Michael Roeger and emerging sprinter Lakara Stallan at the meet, taking place on Saturday night February 11.
The full program and entry list are here (subject to change), but events include 100m, 200m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m Steeplechase, 5000m, Pole Vault, Triple Jump and Discus.
Some intriguing battles are set to take place on the track, with 19-year-old Athletics SA and Pembroke sprinter Lakara Stallan taking on established stars Bree Masters, Naa Anang, Torrie Lewis and Hana Basic in what will be a hot 100m race. Stallan took two State Women’s U20 Records last month in Canberra coming away with 11.51 and 23.62 for the 100m and 200m.
Michael Roeger’s blistering 5000m run at last year’s Adelaide Invitational meant so much more than a new T46 world record – it was the race that reignited his mojo, his passion, his confidence and self-belief.
“One of my lifetime dreams was to break 14 minutes. To do it on my home soil made it even more special. It was such a great night. The body, the mind and the legs were all good to me,’’ says Roeger whose time of 3:52.05 shattered his own previous world record of 14 minutes flat.
It was no secret that Roeger just months earlier had been mentally battle-scarred at the Tokyo Paralympics, having started outright favourite for the marathon with the world record to back him.
Secretly, Roeger had been carrying an injury, a stress factor in the fibula, sustained five weeks earlier. Outwardly, Roeger kept that infectious smile shining, giving the appearance that everything was fine.
“You project that you’re on top of things, but in the end it just caught me out,” says the four-time Paralympian.
Finishing 8 minutes behind the winner and 16 minutes behind his best, Roeger crossed that finish line emotionally and physically bruised, his face painted in a mix of sweat, pain and anguish, even apologising to his supporters on camera moments later.
Was an apology really warranted? Afterall, he had finished in sixth place and had completed one of his toughest events ever.
“Looking back now, probably not. In that moment it was heart-wrenching. I felt that I had let so many people down – my coach Philo Saunders, my friends, my family …. everyone who supported me.
“I thought Tokyo was going to be my time where I could pay everyone back by winning a gold medal.
Life-defining challenges are nothing new to Roeger, a favourite son of Langhorne Creek.
“I had a couple of major GI (gastrointestinal) bleeds that nearly ended me. They weren’t good. They were scary. Fortunately, I’ve pulled through.
“Crippled over on the side of the road after a run, vomiting and excreting blood … having six bags of blood put back into your body … being in hospital for a week …. it was touch-and-go for a while.
“Never again will I touch anti-inflammatories because that has been the main cause. My stomach doesn’t deal with them.”
From marathons to 5000m, Roeger - a self-professed “competitive bastard” will target the 1500m event at Saturday’s Adelaide Invitational.
“I’m going to run 1500m at the Para World Championships in July in Paris.
“In the past few months my body has been handling the lesser volume. I opened up with 3:50.7 at the ACT championships which was an A qualifier and I hope to go quickly in Adelaide.
Confirmed to compete against Roeger will be SA’s own Angus Hincksman and Adam Goddard.
Others currently on the entry list include Jake Doran, Jack Hale, Caleb Law, Kristie Edwards, Monique Quirk, Georgia Griffiths, Rebecca Mehra (USA), Max Stevens, Brielle Erbacher, Isaac Heyne, Liam Adams, Jaryd Clifford, James Steyn, Olivia McTaggart (NZ), Imogen Ayris (NZ), Lachlan Page, Jade Lally, Julian Konle, and Kayla Cuba.
By Andrew Holman and Shane Fuller
Adult - $15
Concession - $10
Child (U12) - FREE
Family (2 Adults + 2 Children OR 1 Adults + 3 Children) - $40
