Top 10 for Lockett at season opener

Deanna Lockett has finished eighth in the 1500 metres at the opening round of the 2014/15 Short Track World Cup season in Salt Lake City in Utah.

The Olympic Winter Institute athlete was forced to make her way through the repechage on day two of competition after missing the direct route to finals on the opening day. She started well, reigniting her campaign with a strategic win in the 1500 metre repechage to get her through to the semi-final. A slow time allowed her to conserve energy for her later races.

In the Semi, the young Australian came up against two Koreans, who set a very fast pace to take the two A Final places, leaving Lockett, who crossed the line third, a place in the B Final.

Lockettt produced another good performance there to finish second to Canadian Valerie Matais, to take 8th place overall with a time of two minutes 24.689 seconds.

"I still need to learn where to position myself in the race with the faster girls," Lockett said at the end of the race

“I got caught up a bit in the middle of the semi final, and could not really fight for the lead."

"However, I am pretty happy after first race of the season. I have learnt a lot already this year ?and look forward to learning and improving more throughout the season.”

In Men’s 1000 metres, both Boda, by finishing second, and Jung, with a fast qualifying time, made it through the repechage round to make it back in to the draw. But their run ended in the next round, with Boda securing an overall result of 25th with Jung 30th.

Armstrong Lazenby and Nathaniel Henry did not progress through the 1500 metre repechage, both being knocked out of the competition to claim 33rd and 35th respectively.

The final day of the World Cup concludes tomorrow, with Lockett looking to make the finals in the Women’s 1000 metres.

The Australian male athletes in Salt Lake City