Platten takes them all

By Gavin Staindl
RARELY does a professional runner compete in the 100 metre, 400 metre and 800 metre events at one international meet, but Narre Warren’s Alice Platten proved it was possible.
Platten, 25, returned on Sunday from her first Oceania Athletic Championships held in Cairns and despite the unusual spread of events, Platten came away with two second placings and a fifth.
The 100 metres is an event usually left for athletes with quick and explosive tendencies while the 800 metres is more endurance based and, as Platten admitted, it is rare for professional athletes to combine the two.
But Platten proved that it could be done after she finished second in the 800 metres and was a part of the 4×100 metre Australian relay team that finished second.
“To compete in them all, you’ve got to change the way you train… and breathe for each (discipline),” Platten said.
“Not a lot of people can do it,” she said.
In the 800 metres, Platten wiped one second off a 20-year championship record with a timing of 2.08 minutes, but her Papua New Guinea opponent ahead of her was even faster.
Platten also recorded a time of 56.16 in the 400 metres and finished fifth overall.
“I am very happy with my performances.
“It was my first international tournament, so I had no idea what to expect,” Platten said.
Platten, who is also known within her training team as the social butterfly, also took time to enjoy her maiden international event.
“The opening and closing ceremonies were pretty special.
“We came out in our countries and (we) all did a routine like the New Zealanders did the Haka and the Australian sang an Australian song… It was really good to meet different cultures and go shopping in the markets.
“It was like a mini-holiday,” Platten said.
Platten is now focussing on the Bay Sheffield meeting held in South Australia in December and has previously enjoyed successful outings at this meet.