The domestic season stepped up a gear at the Sydney Track Classic, with Henry Frayne and Lauren Boden moving a step closer to Olympic selection by clocking their first A-qualifiers.
Both athletes have gone from strength to strength this season following their discretionary selection for last year’s world championships when only possessing the B-qualifying standard. Having achieved the A-qualifier – a rare occurrence this domestic season – it is highly likely that both have already done enough to book a seat to London.
After conditions had varying winds early in the evening, Boden was greeted with still conditions for the 400m hurdles, and used them to her advantage in a 55.45 second victory. However, in an interesting twist, Frayne, whose Olympic ambitions lie in the triple jump, moved to fifth on the Australian all-time list in the long jump, with a 8.27m leap.
Read further about Boden and Frayne's performances:
Sydney bodes well for Lauren’s Olympic dream | Long triple double success for Frayne |
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“Tonight has been a fantastic night, running 12.66 in the hurdles is a world-class time,” said Pearson, who also won the 200m in 23.06 seconds.
“I ran it in my second last race of the season last year and now I’ve run it in the second race of this year.”
Meet records were also recorded by Alana Boyd in the women’s pole vault with a 4.60m clearance, USA’s Russ Winger with 62.98m in the discus, and Kenya’s Jarius Kipchoge, who ran 8:19.14 to win the 3000m steeplechase ahead of Youcef Abdi’s third Olympic A-qualifier of 8:22.01.
In the men’s 400m John Steffensen walked the walked required by those who talk the talk, winning in 45.61 seconds ahead of 800m world record holder David Rudisha (45.82s), the only other athlete in the field to break 46 seconds.
Athletes in the men’s 800m appeared rusty due to lack of hard race preparation and were no match for the class of world and Olympic 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop, who won in 1:45.91. However, Jeff Riseley (second, 1:46.55) showed his superiority over domestic competitors by finishing strongly down the home straight. Should Riseley be the first Australian athlete across the line at the Melbourne Track Classic he will be an automatic selection in the event for the London Olympics, setting up an interesting race dynamic, with other athletes such as Lachlan Renshaw (third, 1:46.98) and James Gurr (1:47.11) also focused on chasing the A-qualifying time of 1:45.60.
Collis Birmingham didn’t come away from the men’s 1500m with either of his two pre-race goals (win and a sub 3:35.50 time) but the Victorian demonstrated that he is in rare form and poised for a low 13 minute 5000m time at the Melbourne Track Classic. After intently following the pacemaker – and even being slowed by him on the third lap – Birmingham fought well with USAs David Torrence down the home straight, with Torrence edging ahead for a 3:35.66 to 3:35.74 victory.
“It’s a decent run with trials in mind and the Olympics later in the year, but no win and no time,” said Birmingham.
“I always do a 1500m before I run a 5k – one that I want to go well at anyway – it’s part of my preparation, so hopefully it will be good.”
Inaki Gomez (18:45.64) from Canada defeated dual Olympic medallist Jared Tallent (18:47.77) in the 5000m walk, with Tayna Holliday first woman across the line in 21:21.25.
Attention now moves to the Melbourne Track Classic in a fortnight’s time. For the first time other than when Australia has hosted the Olympic Games, the meet will incorporate the selection trial for the Olympic team, rather than the national championships.
