Who was the top Aussie athlete of August?

A small number of Australian athletes were in action across Europe and USA as world class competition returned in August. Their results were impressive.

At the pointy end, this included an Australian record, three number #2 Australian all-time performances and a world leading mark:

• Jessica Hull claimed the Australian 5000m record in finishing fourth at the Monaco Diamond League meet. Her 14:43.80 was her first run under 15 minutes, and improved the previous mark set by Benita Willis in 2002 by almost four seconds.
  
• The versatile Stewart McSweyn shaved half a second off his 1500m PB in finishing third at the Stockholm Diamond League meet in 3:31.48. Ryan Gregson’s ten year old national record of 3:31.06 continues to be under threat, with McSweyn having now recorded his third sub 3:32 clocking.
  
• McSweyn’s training partner, Matthew Ramdsen, moved into the #2 position in the rarely run 2000m with his 4:55.44 victory at the Irina Szewinska Memorial in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
  
• Nicola McDermott soared to a 1.98m PB in the high jump and equal second on the all-time list with her win at the Sportpatz Fleishbach in Germany.
  
• Last, but not least, Ollie Hoare recorded a world leading time in the mile with a front running win at the South Carolina Trackfest, running 3:53.35.

How do the performances rate?

If we turn our mind to using the World Athletics Scoring Tables as an objective measure, in order the top performance for each Aussie athlete are:

1. 1224 points – Stewart McSweyn’s 3:31.48 1500m
2. 1200 points – Nicola McDermott’s 1.98m high jump
3. 1195 points – Jessica Hull’s 14:43.80 5000m
4. 1180 points – Ollie Hoare’s 3:34.63 1500m win at the Under Armour Sunset Tour
5. 1179 points – Matthew Ramsden’s 4:55.44 2000m

Great performances usually don’t happen in a bubble (even with COVID), so what does it look like if we look at the average of the top three performances for each athlete?

#1 – Stewart McSweyn – 1186.57 point average

McSweyn’s top three performances were:

• 1224 points for 3:31.48 1500m in Stockholm
• 1174 points for 13:09.83 in Goteborg, where he won, setting a stadium record.
• 1162 points for 13:13.22 5000m in Monaco, where he finished 6th

#2 – Jessica Hull – 1180.33 point average

Hull’s top three performances were:

• 1195 points for 14:43.80 5000m
• 1184 points for 4:02.65 1500m in Stockholm, where she finished 5th
• 1162 points for 4:05.47 1500m in Goteborg, where she finished 2nd

#3 – Matthew Ramsden – 1163 point average

Ramsden’s top three performances were:

• 1179 points for 4:55.44 2000m
• 1161 points for 3:35.99 1500m in Stockholm, where he finished 5th, just outside his PB
• 1149 points for 13:16.63 5000m in Goteborg, where he finished 2nd in a PB

#4 – Nicola McDermott – 1157 point average

McDermott’s top three performances were:

• 1200 points for 1.98m
• 1150 points for 1.93m in Stockholm, where she finished 3rd
• 1121 points for 1.90m in Solletuna, where she finished 2nd

#5 – Peter Bol – 1152.33 point average

Bol has run consistently, with his top three performances being:

• 1175 points for 1:44.96 800m in Monaco, where he finished 7th
• 1146 points for 1:45.92 in Bydgoszcz, where he finished 4th
• 1136 points for 1:46.25 in Goteborg, where he finished 5th

Notable mention also to Ollie Hoare (1148.67 average; for his 1500m, mile and 5000m PB (13:28.33).

Have your say in our poll

Not everything can be broken down by statistics and rankings. Which athlete do you vote for as the top Aussie performer in August?

Keep up to date with the top Australian athletics results via our Weekly Results Wrap.

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