Maurie Plant Meet Explained

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  1. FE9A2E
Date:February
Location:Lakeside Stadium, Melbourne, Australia
Type:Track and field
Iaaf Category:World Continental Tour Gold
Current:y

The Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne is an annual outdoor track and field meeting which takes place in February at the Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne, Australia since 2023. Last held under the old name, Melbourne Track Classic, in early March 2016, prior to 2012 the meeting was held at the Olympic Park Stadium.

The competition was inaugurated in the late 1980s at the Olympic Stadium and gained a place on the IAAF Grand Prix circuit in its formative years.[1] It remained on the major international outdoor track and field circuit, featuring as the opening race of the year on the IAAF World Athletics Tour from 2005 to 2009.[2] It was the first race of the IAAF World Challenge series from 2010 through 2016.[3] The event was also one of the foremost meets of the Australian Athletics Tour, along with the Sydney Track Classic. In 2023, the meet was upgraded and reimagined as the Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne, held in memory of the athletics luminary as World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Level meet and part of the Chemist Warehouse Summer Series.[4] [5] Plant was known as one of the driving forces in the development and promotion of athletics in Australia. He was a meet promoter and athlete agent as well as strong supporter of the athletes.[6] Plant was not without controversy, however, having asked heptathlete Jane Flemming to provide a substitute urine sample for the javelin thrower Sue Howland, fearing Howland would test positive to an anabolic steroid at the Ulster Games in Belfast on 30 June 1986.[7]

The Melbourne Track Classic featured many high level performances including continental Oceanian records by Tim Forsyth in the men's high jump, Nathan Deakes in the men's 5000 metre walk, Scott Martin in the shot put,[8] Lisa Corrigan in the mile run and Bronwyn Thompson in the women's long jump.[9] National records have also been set at the meeting by New Zealand and Australia's athletes.

Editions

Maurie Plant Meet editions
TitleVenueDateStatus
Alcoa Challenge Series - MelbourneMelbourne Olympic Park17 January 1980
Alcoa Challenge Series - MelbourneMelbourne Olympic Park15 January 1981
Alcoa Challenge Series - MelbourneMelbourne Olympic Park14 January 1982[10]
International MeetMelbourne Olympic Park27 January 1983
International MeetMelbourne Olympic Park18 January 19846 March 1984
International MeetMelbourne Olympic Park21 March 1985
International MeetMelbourne Olympic Park20 March 1986
1987
[11] NEC ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park17 March 1988
NEC ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park9 March 1989
NEC ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park8 February 1990
NEC ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park7 February 1991
NEC ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park25 February 1992
NEC ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park25 February 1993
NEC ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park24 February 1994
NEC ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park23 February 1995
NEC ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park29 February 1996IAAF Grand Prix II
Nike Track ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park20 February 1997IAAF Grand Prix II
Melbourne Track TourMelbourne Olympic Park25 February 1998IAAF Grand Prix II
Melbourne Track ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park25 February 1999IAAF Grand Prix II
Melbourne Track ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park2 March 2000IAAF Grand Prix II
Telstra Melbourne Track ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park1 March 2001IAAF Grand Prix Final
Telstra A-series - MelbourneMelbourne Olympic Park7 March 2002IAAF Grand Prix II
Telstra A-series - MelbourneMelbourne Olympic Park1 March 2003IAAF Grand Prix II
Telstra A-series - MelbourneMelbourne Olympic Park12 February 2004IAAF Grand Prix II
Telstra A-series - MelbourneMelbourne Olympic Park17 February 2005IAAF Grand Prix II
Telstra A-series - MelbourneMelbourne Olympic Park9 March 2006IAAF Grand Prix
Telstra A-series - MelbourneMelbourne Olympic Park2 March 2007IAAF Grand Prix
Melbourne Athletic Grand PrixMelbourne Olympic Park21 February 2008IAAF Grand Prix
Melbourne GP Series MeetMelbourne Olympic Park5 March 2009IAAF Grand Prix
IAAF Melbourne Track ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park4 March 2010IAAF World Challenge
IAAF Melbourne Track ClassicMelbourne Olympic Park3 March 2011IAAF World Challenge
Qantas Melbourne Track ClassicLakeside Stadium2-3 March 2012IAAF World Challenge
Qantas Melbourne Track ClassicLakeside Stadium6 April 2013IAAF World Challenge
IAAF Melbourne Track ClassicLakeside Stadium22 March 2014IAAF World Challenge
IAAF Melbourne Track ClassicLakeside Stadium21 March 2015IAAF World Challenge
Melbourne Track ClassicLakeside Stadium5 March 2016IAAF World Challenge
not held2017
not held2018
not held2019
Melbourne Track ClassicLakeside Stadium6 February 2020
Melbourne Track ClassicLakeside Stadium25 February 2021
Melbourne Track ClassicLakeside Stadium19 March 2022Area Permit
Maurie Plant MeetLakeside Stadium23 February 2023Continental Tour Gold
2024 Maurie Plant MeetLakeside Stadium15 February 2024[12] Continental Tour Gold

Meeting records

Men

Men's meeting records of the Maurie Plant Meet
Event Record Athlete Nationality Date
100 m10.04Asafa Powell2008
200 m19.92Frankie Fredericks1999
400 m44.82Jeremy Wariner2008
800 m1:43.15David Rudisha2010
1500 m3:32.55William Chirchir2000
Mile3:51.54Simon Doyle1991
3000 m7:41.38Ishmael Kipkurui23 February 2023[13]
5000 m13:08.43Bernard Lagat3 March 2011[14] [15]
10,000 m28:30.32Joseph Kimani2000
110 m hurdles13.24Colin Jackson1996
1999
400 m hurdles48.40Bryan Bronson1998
3000 m steeplechase8:19.47John Kosgei2000
High jump2.31 mTim Forsyth1996
Pole vault5.81 mSteven Hooker2007
Long jump8.30 mPeter Burge2000
Triple jump16.91 m Henry Frayne3 March 2011[16]
Shot put21.37 mTomas Walsh21 March 2015[17]
Discus throw66.23 mConnor Bell22 February 2023[18]
Hammer throw78.91 mStuart Rendell2003
Javelin throw87.13 mSergey Makarov1999
5000 m walk (track)18:38.97Dane Bird-Smith5 March 2016[19]
4 × 100 m relay39.30Will Roberts
Jake Doran
Jacob Despard
Jack Hale		19 March 2022[20]

Women

Women's meeting records of the Maurie Plant Meet
Event Record Athlete Nationality Date Meet
100 m11.01Marion Jones1998
200 m22.54Cathy Freeman1993
400 m49.85Cathy Freeman1996
800 m1:59.42Toni Hodgkinson1997
Tamsyn Lewis2000
1500 m4:06.23Toni Hodgkinson2000
Mile4:22.66Lisa Corrigan2007
3000 m8:43.51Sonia O'Sullivan2001
5000 m14:57.54Rose Davies15 February 20242024[21]
100 m hurdles12.49 Sally Pearson3 March 2012[22] [23]
400 m hurdles54.64Jana Pittman2003
3000 m steeplechase9:29.93Donna MacFarlane2008
High jump1.99 mNicola Olyslagers15 February 20242024[24]
Pole vault4.71 mAlana Boyd5 March 2016[25]
Long jump7.00 mBronwyn Thompson2002
Triple jump13.89 m Nneka Okpala5 March 2016[26]
Shot put20.13 mValerie Adams3 March 2011[27]
Discus throw66.10 mDaniela Costian1994
Hammer throw69.31 mRose Loga23 February 2023[28]
Javelin throw66.83 mKimberley Mickle22 March 2014[29]
3000 m walk (track)11:51.26Kerry Junna1991
5000 m walk (track)21:19.46Beki Smith5 March 2016[30]
4 × 100 m relay43.15Torrie Lewis
Ella Connolly
Bree Masters
Mia Gross		19 March 2022[31]
4 × 400 m relay3:32.41Susan Andrews
Kylie Hanigan
Maree Holland
Cathy Freeman		1993

Notes and References

  1. Johnson, Len (2011-02-28). Melbourne's Olympic Park - one final look back. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-05.
  2. http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/wat/index.html World Athletics Tour
  3. http://www.iaaf.org/iwc10/results/index.html 2010 IAAF World Challenge
  4. Web site: Moorhouse . Lachlan . 4 January 2023 . Melbourne to host the world's best athletes at the Maurie Plant Meet . 4 January 2023 . Runner's Tribe . en-AU.
  5. Web site: Maurie Plant Meet Melbourne 2023 . 4 January 2023 . . en.
  6. Web site: Gullan . Scott . 20 January 2020 . Maurie Plant dies . Herald Sun.
  7. Web site: May 1990 . Drugs in Sport – Second report of the Senate Standing Committee on environment, recreation and the arts . 22 February 2023 . . 22–28 .
  8. http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/recbycat/location=o/recordtype=ar/event=0/age=n/area=oce/sex=M/records.html Area Outdoor Records - Men - OCEANIA
  9. http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/recbycat/location=o/recordtype=ar/event=0/age=n/area=oce/sex=W/records.html Area Outdoor Records - Women - OCEANIA
  10. News: 1982-01-14 . Suggested Viewing . 2024-02-15 . The Sydney Morning Herald . 11.
  11. Web site: Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne. The Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne in various forms dates back to 1988 and has been known by a number of names throughout its history as the premier Melbourne athletics event of the domestic season.. Athletics Australia.
  12. Web site: World Athletics Continental Tour World Athletics . 2024-02-14 . worldathletics.org.
  13. Web site: 23 February 2023. Kerley and local heroes fire up a revived Melbourne. Len Johnson. 23 February 2023. World Athletics.
  14. News: A touch slower, but Rudisha still supreme - IAAF World Challenge. IAAF. Len Johnson. 2011-03-03. 2011-03-05.
  15. Web site: 5000 Metres Results. IAAF. 2011-03-03. 2011-03-05.
  16. Web site: Triple Jump Results. IAAF. 3 March 2011. 13 June 2012.
  17. News: Rudisha and Pearson win in Melbourne, Viljoen edges Mickle. IAAF. Len Johnson. 21 March 2015. 21 March 2015.
  18. Web site: Kerley and local heroes fire up a revived Melbourne. World Athletics. Len Johnson. 23 February 2023. 8 March 2023.
  19. Web site: 5000m Race Walk Results. IAAF. 5 March 2016. 5 March 2016.
  20. Web site: 2022 Melbourne Track Classic Results. World Athletics. 19 March 2022. 31 March 2022.
  21. News: Youth and establishment both shine as Continental Tour Gold kicks off in Melbourne. World Athletics. Len Johnson. 15 February 2024. 28 February 2024.
  22. Web site: 100 Metres Hurdles Results. IAAF. 3 March 2012. 4 March 2012.
  23. News: Elated Mottram sprints back to form with victory in Melbourne - IAAF World Challenge. IAAF. Len Johnson. 3 March 2012. 4 March 2012.
  24. News: Youth and establishment both shine as Continental Tour Gold kicks off in Melbourne. World Athletics. Len Johnson. 15 February 2024. 28 February 2024.
  25. Web site: Pole Vault Results. IAAF. 5 March 2016. 5 March 2016.
  26. Web site: Triple Jump Results. IAAF. 5 March 2016. 5 March 2016.
  27. Web site: Shot Put Results. IAAF. 3 March 2011. 13 June 2012.
  28. Web site: 23 February 2023. Kerley and local heroes fire up a revived Melbourne. Len Johnson. 23 February 2023. World Athletics.
  29. News: Mickle promises, Mickle delivers in Melbourne - IAAF World Challenge. IAAF. Len Johnson. 22 March 2014. 24 March 2014.
  30. Web site: 5000m Race Walk Results. IAAF. 5 March 2016. 5 March 2016.
  31. Web site: 2022 Melbourne Track Classic Results. World Athletics. 19 March 2022. 31 March 2022.

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