The Blue Mountains Gazette
1 September, 2010

Blue Mountains speedster Christie Pearson will have a chance to run against one of Australia’s great female track stars as she competes at next month’s Pirtek Athletic Allstars meet at Homebush in Sydney.

The women’s 400m event to be staged as part of a 10-year commemoration for the 2000 Olympics will see one of the state’s brightest prospects line-up against the nation’s top 400m and 800m runner, Tamsyn Lewis.

With the ‘Salute to a Champion’ women’s 400m being named in honour of Lewis, the race

will see a transformation in Australia’s running stocks with the best youth performer Pearson following in the footsteps of golden girl Lewis.

Already the Australian Schools champion in both disciplines, Christie Pearson, who was a junior star for her Springwood District Little Athletics Centre, has clocked similar times to a young Lewis and is looking forward to testing herself against her idol.

“I’m really excited to be competing with so many great athletes and I think it will be a really exciting meet and will give me a chance to see what it is like to compete in front of a huge crowd,” she said.

For Lewis, this meet will give her a chance to finalise preparations for her fifth Commonwealth Games and say thank you to the fans that have supported her throughout her career.

The 16 time national champion may be making her last appearance in front of a Sydney crowd and will be keen to give a trademark gutsy performance.

With a mixture of youth and celebrity being one of the main initiatives brought to the event by meet director Hayden Knowles, rising stars such as Pearson will be able to use the experience of competing with legends of the sport as a gauge for future track endeavours.

Appearances by Usain Bolt, Danny Green, Brad Haddin and rugby league star Greg Inglis will also add great excitement to event and be of a great experience for all involved.

To purchase tickets for the Pirtek Athletic Allstars event or for more information visit www.athleticallstars.com.au.