TOWER Team
Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games — TOWER Software Team
As a proud partner of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, TOWER Software are delighted to announce the sponsorship of three athletes.
Joining Team Tower Software are Swimming Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist, Jim Piper, current Cycling World Champion Katie Mactier and Track Athlete Adam Miller. As part of our sponsorship Jim, Katie and Adam will be providing regular updates in the lead up to the Games on our website, and be in attendance at some of the TOWER Software events pre-games as well as during the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. Supporters may have the opportunity to meet the TOWER Software team and post a question to Jim, Katie and Adam using the Q & A Form on our website.
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Jim Piper
Sport: Swimming
An exciting swimming prospect, Jim Piper represents the next generation of swimmers who will carry on Australia's winning tradition in the pool. Jim elevated himself to world-class status in 2002, becoming Commonwealth champion in Manchester in the 200m breaststroke and picking up another gold in the 4x100m medley relay. Capable of breaking through for further success at International level, Piper is a swimmer to watch in the run to the Melbourne Commonwealth Games and the 2007 World Championships. |
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Katie Mactier
Sport: Cycling - Pursuit (Track and Road)
Katie Mactier has had a major impact on female and road cycling since taking up the sport in 1998 at the age of 24. An inspiring example that it is never too late to follow your dream, Mactier won silver at the Athens Olympics, which was then followed by a gold medal at the 2005 World Championships. An ever-improving cyclist, Mactier is now geared towards Gold at her hometown Commonwealth Games next year. |
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Adam Miller
Sport: Track Athletics
He's been described as the next Matt Shirvington, and at only 21 years of age, Adam Miller is well placed to reach the same lofty heights as Australia's champion sprinter. In 2004, Miller represented Australia at the Olympic Games in Athens and since then he has continued to break ground and post personal best times in his signature 200m event. A sprint specialist and national champion, Miller is poised to hit top gear at next year's Commonwealth Games. |
Athletes updates
February 2006:
Jim Piper's February message
Three weeks ago I was trying not to let the hype get to me as I had yet to make the games team. By the last day of the Commonwealth Swimming Trials in the brand new pool that looks awesome, I still wasn't in the team. But all that ended by winning the 200m Breaststroke final and stealing back the Commonwealth Record that I once held. It was relief and enjoyment at the same time, but unfortunately there was no time to celebrate as it was straight into team camp the next day. Camp was fantastic, Andrew Gaze was a guest speaker on the last night and it was a fitting end to send myself and the other athletes home in good spirits that soon we will be representing Australia at a memorabile home Commonwealth Games. Now its not long until the games, I've just finished a 2 week block of hard work and its nearly time to start tapering again. Watching the ads and hearing about all the other athletes making the team is really getting me pumped up to get there and get down to business!!!!!
Katie Mactier's February message
Hi Guys,
It's official I have been named in the Commonwealth Games cycling team.....yipee. I am happy to report that training couldn't be going better. Last week I flew to South Australia where I lined up for the 3000m individual pursuit at the Aussie track Nationals. As with every pursuit I line up for, this one was important for me as it gave my coach and me a very good indication of where I am at with my form. With only a hand full of track sessions under my belt I managed to win the Australian title and in a time that we were happy with.
My boyfriend, Greg Henderson, who will be representing New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games has been in Melbourne with me training, sadly he will leave in a few days to go to the USA where he has race commitments and it wont be until we enter the village that we will see each other. Greg is the reigning Commonwealth Games points score champion not to mention forme r world champion. There will be no trans-Tasman rivalry in this instance!!
So with that behind me I can now look ahead to my race at the Games, with 'Boot Camp' training in Adelaide. This is what I consider to be the icing on the cake with regards to my preparation for any major event. For about three weeks I will live, breath and sleep track cycling. I will train with our men's team which I believe is my secret weapon. The days will consist of two sessions a day, in between sessions sleeping and eating is the order of the day.
I would be lying if I told you I wasn't getting excited about the Games, this is a once in a life time opportunity for me to compete in my home town at an event of this calibre and I can assure you all that I will be attempting to be in the form of my life come race day.
Adam Miller's February message:
I have just arrived home from a rather successful trial competition in the MCG recently.
In the 100m Invitational I placed 3rd behind the British 100m champion Mark-Lewis Francis and Australia's Daniel Batman in a personal best of 10.26. I am extremely happy with the time considering I am in the middle of hard training again and didn't even taper for the event. I also competed in the 200m where I placed 2nd and in two 4x100m relay's in which we ran as the national team. We got the baton around both times without any hiccups which is a great sign and a confidence builder going into the games.
I am not sure if I have given you the run down from the Commonwealth games selection trials…
I narrowly missed selection in the 100m and the 200m, placing 4th in both. In the 100m the margin was a few one thousandths of a second to Patrick Johnson and the 200m was four one hundredths of a second to a newly acquired Australian sprinter from Nigeria. All in all I ran the best races I could have and it just wasn't good enough on that weekend. My fourth placing did get me a position in the 4x100m for the Commonwealth games so I can't really complain..
I am now back in hard training for a week or two, working on some technical aspects of my running and the relay.
I look forward to meeting you and keeping you updated.
Adam
December 2005:
Katie Mactier's December Message
Another Christmas gone......good grief and New Year beginning. While Christmas time is usually a time of feasting, drinking and letting your hair down, I had to be mindful that Commonwealth Games are drawing closer and the next 3 month's will be imperative in my final preparation's. So while I did enjoy times with my family I stayed off the alcohol and limited my portion size of plum pud!
Getting back to the all important racing. My road National's are approaching mid January, where I will be hoping to gain selection as part of the road team at the Commonwealth Games, my Track National's take place mid Feb. While I have already gained my spot on the Track for the Commies, it is important for me to race well and show the Australian selectors that my training is all going well for the upcoming Games.
I hope you guys all had a wonderful Christmas and were able to spend some time with family and friends!
JimPiper's December message
Its finally 2006 and just 4 weeks from the Commonwealth Games trials. It has felt like such a long preparation so far. But now we are close and it is very exciting. This week (2nd January) is the WA State Championships. In full training it is very hard to get up and race fast, but its always good to practice the routines that you will go through come the big day in March. Over the past month its been hard work, with a quick trip to the NSW State Championships where results were pleasing with good wins and times in the 100m and 200m Breaststroke events. Christmas was very low key for me this year. As my family lives in NSW there was no big celebration. Nor was there anytime off from training. With the Games so close Christmas was nearly just another day. Over the next few weeks it will be all about the up and coming trials. Which means a taper. Rest and recovery! Then fast swimming!!!
Adam Miller's December message
Last month was a very interesting time for me - involving personal best times, an intriguing photo shoot, an injury and a short Christmas break.
It started off with the National series in Brisbane where I ran two personal best times, and won the 100m over the current national champion and the current national record holder - all pretty encouraging. The only down side was that I injured my knee but after some intensive physio and a bit of rest it is back to normal. I also had the interesting experience of doing a photo shoot for a magazine coming out in March - it was certainly something very different and will make for interesting viewing when it comes out in March! I managed to get a couple of days off training and headed back home to Port Macquarie to spend Christmas with my family and catch up with all my friends. That is now a distant memory as I am back hard into training with my sights firmly fixed on the national trials next months.
November 2005:
Jim Piper's November Message
It has been quite a busy time since my last update. Firstly my team, the mighty Wests Tigers took out the NRL premiership which was very exciting. I have been closely involved with the team for a long time, and a lot of them sent me messages of support at the World Championships earlier this year. Aside from that I recently competed in the Skins and World Cup swimming events in Sydney and won the 200m breastroke at each event which shows that I am on track with my training for the Commonwealth Games. We also had the Telstra Swimmer of the Year Awards recently and I was lucky enough to be awarded the Male Short Course Swimmer of the Year, which was the first time I had won that award. Anyway, I am now back in sunny Perth training hard in the lead up to the trials in February.
Katie's November Message:
How time flies - the Commonwealth Games is coming so quickly and you can feel the buzz increasing, especially in Melbourne. My training has been going very well, with the highlight being a three week stint in Dunedin, New Zealand. It was great, I had no distractions and it was 110% about the bike which meant that I could do some solid 800km a week sessions. I am now back in Melbourne and refining my training and working closely with my coach. The next phase for me will be testing my equipment - in a sport where a hundredth of a second can mean gold or silver it is important that everything is working well, especially the aerodynamics of my bike, suit and helmet.
Adam's November Message:
I would personally like to thank you for coming on board, assisting and being part of my journey toward the 2006 commonwealth games. Your generosity will aid my preparation for the Games by alleviating any possible financial issues and allow me concentrate on the task at hand.
A brief history of myself:
- Started athletics in late 2001.
- Moved to Manly (from Port Macquarie where I grew up) to further my athletics in early 2003 after finishing school.
- Trained there under NSWIS (NSW institute of Sport) until early 2005 when I took up a great opportunity of a full Scholarship here at the AIS.
In my short athletic career I have been lucky enough to represent Australia at the World Junior Championships, Jamaica 2002, World University Games, South Korea 2003 and the Olympic Games, Greece 2004, with sights firmly set on The Commonwealth Games next year.
Since the move to the lovely Nations Capital, I'd say my training and performances so far are well above expectation. In the first month of competing I have already achieved two personal bests in the 100 metres. Be it they were small, .01 and .01 of a second (from 10.39 to 10.38 to 10.37). At such an early stage of the season, these are great signs. On top of this I have also two B-qualifying standards for the 200 metres at the games to my name (20.81 and 20.72) and am .02 of a B-qualifier in the 100 metres.
The domestic season starts on the 26th of November and continuing through until the Commonwealth games in mid March. I can't wait to compete against the best in Australia and the Commonwealth.
I look forward to meeting you and keeping you posted on my progress.
Thank you once again.
October 2005:
Jim's October Message:
Firstly, I would like to say thank you for taking me on as part of Team Tower Software. I met a number of the team at the 22nd National Records Management Association Australia Convention Dinner in Perth and am looking forward to working with you all in the lead up to the Games.
With the Commonwealth Games fast approaching I'm extremely excited to be a part of Team Tower and will hopefully share some of my experiences, and the ups and downs of a 6 month long preparation. The Melbourne 2006 Games are going to be a big highlight in my career. It will be the first time that I've competed in a International Competition on home soil. Defending my 200m Breaststroke title from Manchester in 2002 will be my priority.
Over the next six months I'll be sharing my schedule of training and competition. Currently I'm in a heavy endurance phase. I'm attempting to do 12 pool sessions for the next three weeks with an additional three gym and other dry land training sessions per week as well. All in all I should cover nearly 230km over the next 21 days - an exhausting experience, but it will set up my endurance base for the session.
Coming competitions will be the Australian Skins Event and the World Cup meet at the end of November at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre, my first racing meets since the World Championships. It will be good to get back into race mode! So the Games are still over 150 days away, a very long time for an athlete. Some days it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but those are the days that the best athletes shine!
Katie's October Message:
Hi, I just wanted to pop you guys a line and thankyou for supporting me for the upcoming 2006 Commonwealth Games. My name is Katie Mactier and I am a cyclist, the next 6 month's are going to be imperative as I train for the up coming Games. I am hoping to compete in my pet event which is the 3000 m individual pursuit on the velodrome, I a m also hoping to be selected as part of the road squad.
Having recently won the World Championship title in the Individual Pursuit I have tasted victory and decided that I like it - a lot! With this in mind I am hoping to stand proudly in the middle of the dais come March next year in front of a home crowd. Training full time and dedicating every second to this goal is not possible without the support of corporate sponsorship such as Tower Software. I can't emphasize how much I appreciate your support and I look forward to meeting you guys personally and thanking you. I hope to send regular reports on my training progress and racing results.
To be honest the thought of competing in my home town gives me goose bumps. Knowing how Aussies embrace their sport, there is no question in my mind how successful these games will be. Well, it's getting late and I have 100 km to ride in the morning, so I will say good-bye and I look forward to meeting you soon.
Katie
