AIS athlete Tristan Thomas had a great win in the 400-metre event at the ACT Interclub meet on 20 January 2009, recording a personal best time of 45.86 seconds. 

Thomas also set the new Tasmanian 400-metre record, breaking Simon Hollingsworth’s 1992 record of 45.99 seconds.

Tuesday’s 400-metre race took place under difficult conditions, in a lull between torrential rain. Thomas was head-to-head with fellow AIS athlete 19-year-old Kurt Mulcahy for much of the race, but finally overtook him in the final stages. Mulcahy won second place with a time of 46.57 seconds — only 0.1 slower than his personal best for last year.

Thomas was thrilled with his new personal best and winning his first ever B qualifier for the IAAF World Championships:
 
‘I’m just happy, no matter what the event is, to be doing personal bests after so long, it’s awesome.

‘I just want to make the relay team and be a part of things. I’ve been on the edges for so long that I want to breakthrough.’

Thomas is in good form this season, having already set personal best times in the men’s 400-metre hurdles and men’s 800 metres.

Other AIS athletes also performed well at the ACT Interclub, including new AIS scholarship holder Angie Blackburn, who won the women’s 400 metres against strong opposition, in 54.12 seconds.

AIS long jumper John Thornell, who recovered from a stress fracture late last year, recorded an excellent leap of 7.34 metres in the men’s long jump.