US Sprinter John Woods Wants to Make A New Career in Australia
Essendon bravely went into enemy territory yesterday, December 2, 2007, for the Ron Clarke Classic athletics meeting in Geelong.
Racers Heath Hocking, Brent Stanton and Bachar Houli had led the charge in the 3km team's event, though it was the speedsters from the Ocean Grove Football Club who brought home the Jack Clarke Trophy as a reward for the fastest team.
It was Houli who first crossed the line for the Dons, followed closely by Essendon, then followed by Stanton and Hocking. Other competitors for the dons included Angus Monfries and Henry Slattery. Hocking won the club's pre-season time trial, and mentioned his disappointed with Essendon's inability to defend his last year's trophy. He also asserted that Brent Stanton got “a bit of a lift from getting James Hird's No. 5 jumper the other day.” He also said that all competitors ran a solid pace, finishin20 seconds of one another, which made for quite a good team performance.
However, the real star of that meeting was the 25 year old American sprinter John Woods, who might soon compete for Australia. Woods had moved to Canberra in July and made a personal best at 10.16 seconds for 100 meters, and he won the 100m race at 10.52, ahead of Nigerian Commonwealth Games Representative Anthony Alozie, and then went on to claim the 200 m reward by finishing in 21.72 seconds.
Woods had long since wanted to become an Australian citizen. According to athletics Australia chief executive Danny Corcoran, if Woods gets an Australian passport and is not blocked by the US Track and Field, he may just be eligible to compete professionally as an Australian candidate.
Woods is currently a stockbroker, and states that though he isn't currently a permanent resident, his intentions are truly to make a new home in Australia. Though he is also quick to maintain that while it is easier to run for Australia than the US, it doesn't necessarily mean his migration is about finding a shortcut to the Olympics.
