Cedric Dubler produced the standout performance of the eighth day of the Australian Championships, winning the decathlon in a new personal best of 8,393 points.
The performance secured Dubler’s selection for the world championships and Commonwealth Games later this year.
The 27-year-old Queenslander produced the following marks across the ten events:
- 100m: 10.81 (-0.4)
- Long Jump: 7.92m (+3.2)
- Shot Put: 13.17m
- High Jump: 2.11m
- 400m: 47.14
- 110m H: 14.18 (+0.9)
- Discus: 40.21m
- Pole Vault: 5.00m
- Javelin: 56.75m
- 1500m: 4:37.48
“This has been a long two days of competition and as I always say, an emotional rollercoaster,” said Dubler.
“Every competitions do is unique, and I really didn’t know what I was going to do in that 1500m because I came in within an empty tank.
“I’m so incredibly happy that I was able to lift and get that result and get that automatic selection to the World Championships team and nomination for Birmingham too.”
Six other Australians locked in their dual selection for the world championships and Commonwealth Games with their victories: Liz Clay (100m H), Nicola McDermott (high jump), Peter Bol (800m), Catriona Bisset (800m), Kurtis Marschall (pole vault) and Jessica Hull (5000m).
The 5000m was arguably the race of the championships with Hull, winning in 15:06.13, leading home three women under the world championships qualifying standard of 15:10. Rose Davies (15:07.49) and Great Britain’s Calli Thackery (15:09.08) filled the podium positions, while falling less than a second outside the standard was a fast finishing Natalie Rule (15:10.24) and Isobel Batt-Doyle (15:10.97).
Liz Clay produced a strong performance in the 100m hurdles, finishing just one-hundredth-of-a-second short of her personal best with a a 12.72 second victory. In the minor medals Celeste Mucci set a new personal best at 12.96 seconds, while Michelle Jenneke took third in a photo finish from Abbie Taddeo, with the pair both clocking 13.05 seconds.
“That was awesome, so much fun. I have been waiting for for a race like that and I got it today. We all knew I could do it and that I can go faster, but is was just nice to confirm to everyone that I can do it – and I can do it one any day,” said Clay.
“I’m going to run 12. 5, I know it.”
The 800m races were a sharp contrast to each other, with the women’s race a war of attrition and the men’s race a tactical affair.
In the women’s event Catriona Bisset showed that she is a class above the rest of Australia’s 800m talents, taking the field through the first lap in 57 seconds before finishing in 1:59.83. Junior Claudia Hollingsworth (2:02.98) slowed least of the rest of the field to claim silver, ahead of Tess Kirsopp-Cole (2:03.39).
The men’s race went through the bell in a pedestrian 55 seconds, paving the way for Peter Bol to sail home for a 1:48.78 victory. Charlie Hunter (1:49.31) and New Zealand’s Brad Mathas (1:49.52) were next home, with Dylan Stenson and Jye Perret dead-heating for bronze in the Australian championship in 1:49.61.
Olympic silver medallist Nicola McDermott returned to competition in the high jump with an easy victory in 1.94m, with in form Eleanor Patterson a late withdrawal from the event with a minor foot injury.
Kurtis Marschall took out the pole vault with a best clearance of 5.60m, having three unsuccessful attempts at 5.80m.
Chris Mitrevski fell agonisingly short of the world championship qualifying standard of 8.22m, jumping a wind-assisted 8.26m (3.3) and a legal 8.21m (0.8) to claim the national title. Mitrevski’s series of six jumps were all in excess of 8 metres.
Also recording significant World Athletics ranking points in claiming victory was Aidan Murphy, who clocked 20.53 seconds in the 200m into a 0.9 m/s headwind. 100m champion Jake Doran took silver in 20.77, with junior champion Calab Law winning bronze in 20.90 seconds.
In other events:
- Ella Connolly completed the sprint double, being the first Australian across the line in the 200m in 23.37 (-0.5), behind New Zealand’s Georgia Hulls (23.17);
- Nick Hough won his seventh national 110m hurdles title in 13.68 (-0.7), with Nick Andrews (13.75) edging out Chris Douglas (13.76);
- Samantha Dale won the long jump in a wind-assisted 6.64m (+2.7);
- Great Britain’s Jade Lally (59.29m) won the discus, with Taryn Gollshewsky (54.74m) taking the Australian title;
- Matthew Ramsden took victory in a tactical 5000m race in 13:40.69;
- Aidan Harvey claimed his first national title in the shot put in 18.47m ahead of perennial champion Damien Birkinhead;
- Taneille Crase won the heptathlon with 5759 points;
- Cameron McEntrye hurled the javelin 78.06m for victory; and
- Sarah Carli and Conor Fry won the 400m hurdles in 56.70 and 51.76 seconds respectively.
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