A flying Scotsman, SPR Carl McMullen of the British Defence Force team, gets some air time during the men's long jump at the ADF Track and Field Championships.

Thirty-five visiting British Defence Force athletes found the competition a little hot in more ways than one at the recent Tenix ADF Track and Field Championships at Albury.

The Brits arrived full of confidence but were tested by the 30-degree heat and some gutsy performances from the ADF contingent.

The championships were held from November 17-19 and attracted athletes from all three services, defence civilians as well as the Brits, making for some gripping battles across the full spectrum of events.

Defence civilian Nicole Myszka made a clean sweep of the women's throwing events, winning gold in the women's shot put, discus, hammer throw and javelin, defeating her more fancied UK rivals.

In almost the performance of the meet, Navy's LEUT Ray Chambers (at 44 years of age) took on all-comers in the men's hammer throw and took home gold. He backed that up by taking out the veteran's shot put and discus, leaving his UK and ADF counterparts in awe.

On the track the UK sprinters had the edge and showed the benefits of being semi-professional athletes back home, taking out the men's and women's 100 and 200m doubles.

In the distance races however, the heat took its toll on the Brits, with the Aussies running on strongly to record some emphatic victories. CPL Simon O'Regan took out the men's A grade 1500m in a sensational 14min0.97sec. He followed that up with silver in the 5000m (15.30.00) and then outclassed the field in the 3000m steeplechase in a time of 9.46.28.

In the 5000m, defence civilian Richard McGuire-White led from the start to record a very impressive time of 15.01.92. And in the race of the meet, Richard teamed up with CAPT Nathan Crowley, CPL Rob Combe and CPL Simon O'Regan to narrowly defeat the Brits in the 4x1200m relay.

Male athlete of the meet went to OFFCDT Piotr Baizert from RAAF who entered no less than 10 events and picked up numerous placings in the under-21 age group. Champion female and overall champion went to SAC Sharon Wood from the UK who picked up medals in six A grade events to top the overall points table.

Selectors will use the performances as a valuable guide when choosing a team for the upcoming Arafura Games in Darwin. (Details phone CAPT Peter Borghouts 03-9256 3935). A full listing of results from the championships can be found on the ADF Sports Council web page at http://defweb.cbr.defence.gov.au/adfsc.