Zatopek champion Rose Davies has continued her form this season, taking out the 5000m at the Box Hill Burn with a front running performance of 15:23.64.
In windy conditions at Hagenauer Reserve, Davies took victory by three seconds from Calli Thackery (15:26.87) after chasing the World Championships qualifying standard of 15:10.00.
South Australia’s Caitlin Adams was third in 15:36.36.
The men’s race was set up as a qualifying attempt for Stewart McSweyn at the 13:13.50 qualifying mark, which has only been bettered during the qualifying period by Olli Hoare (indoors, with his 13:09.96 performance in December).
Assisted through the first three kilometres by training partner Brett Robinson in 8:01, McSweyn increased the pace with a 63 second lap to break away from Sam McEntee. However, at the four kilometre mark McSweyn stepped off the track while in the lead, with breathing difficulties.
McEntee went on for a comfortable victory in 13:36.37 from Jack Bruce (13:46.17) and James Hansen (13:49.82).
Earlier in the program the 1000m races took centre stage. National 800m record holder Peter Bol took a commanding victory in in 2:19.30 from Brad Mathas (2:21.36) and Matthew Hussey (2:22.84), slowing into the headwind down the home straight.
The anticipated encounter between Olympian Georgia Griffith and up-and-coming Claudia Hollingsworth didn’t eventuate in the women’s race, with Griffith falling within the first 100m of the race, suffering a cut to her knee. She did however return later in the program to pace the women’s 5000m.
Hollingsworth ran a mature race after the fall, settling behind Lucinda Rourke (third) before setting sail for home in a 2:42.78 victory. Amy Robinson was second in 2:46.53, with Rourke clocking 2:54.98.
Large fields were in action in the graded 5000m races that followed the elite action, with the men’s B race being won by Seth O’Donnell in 14:04.98. In second place Archie Noakes recorded a world junior qualifying performance of 14:05.91.
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