Linden Hall will attempt to reclaim the Australian 1500m record and become the first Australian woman to break four minutes for the metric mile on Thursday, while an elite men’s 800m has also been added to the program.
Hall is in superb form this season, including an Australian 1000m record (2:35.90) at the Box Hill Track, Olympic qualifier over 1500m in Canberra (4:02.02) and moving to fourth on the Australian all-time list over 800m in Brisbane (1:59.22) last weekend.
The 29-year-old Victorian formerly held the Australian record at 4:00.86 from 2018, her personal best, before it was bettered last season by Jessica Hull with a run of 4:00.42.
Hall is the cream to an already impressive field in the women’s 1500m at the Box Hill Classic, while Stewart McSweyn and Matthew Ramsden headline the men’s race. $1500 in prize money will be on offer for each event, courtesy of Athletics International and the family of the late Graham Crouch.
RELATED:
Adding further to the meet is the addition of an elite men’s 800m, with the in-form Peter Bol looking to better the Olympic qualifier of 1:45.20. He has been just outside the mark of a second on a few occasions this year, including a 1:45.48 run last weekend. Also in the field is Kiwi Brad Mathas.
Box Hill Athletics Club President, Jeremy Griffith, is looking forward to the athletics community gathering at one of Melbourne’s favourite venues, Hagenauer Reserve, to celebrate great performances and the start of the Easter long weekend.
“As a club we feel we have a very important role to make athletics fun and enjoyable for everyone. That’s not just for athletes, but also for spectators at events at our track,” Griffith said.
“Athletes have told us how much they enjoy running at Box Hill. We want to make sure there’s always a great atmosphere for them to perform at their best and for people to have a fun and social time cheering them on.”
Conditions look like they will be perfect for athletes and spectators alike, with a top of 29 degrees during the day.
The Box Hill Classic is being held this Thursday, 1 April at Hagenauer Reserve, Box Hill, commencing at 6pm. The elite events are scheduled within a convenient 90 minute period from 7pm to 8:30pm.
The full meet program and start lists are available here.
The meet will also be live streamed by Athletics Exclusive for those unable to make it to the venue.
Latest posts:
- Jenneke sets the tone as emerging talent steps up in Melbourne at Short Track Championships
The Australian Short Track Championships may not have drawn the full depth of the nation’s elite, but those who did line up at the second edition of the meet found conditions that were far better than Melbourne’s reputation might suggest. Michelle Jenneke made the clearest of those statements, claiming the… Read more: Jenneke sets the tone as emerging talent steps up in Melbourne at Short Track Championships - 100th Victorian Milers Club Meet sees record to Abdelrahim
Australian junior 800m champion Bob Abdelrahim ran the fastest ever two lap performance at a Victorian Milers Club meet with his runaway 1:46.48 victory at Lakeside Stadium. Abdelrahim, who turns 20 next month, extended away from the field with 350m remaining for a 53.9/52.5 negative split, taking over a second… Read more: 100th Victorian Milers Club Meet sees record to Abdelrahim - Australian Top Lists
Check out the top 8 performances by Australian athletes in the lead up to Commonwealth Games selection. With Top Lists back in vogue in the selection policy for Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games and for Oceania Championships selection (compared to prior years for World Athletics events where World Rankings ruled), here’s the… Read more: Australian Top Lists - Built to Rise: Izobelle Louison-Roe Emerges as Australia’s Next High Jump Star
Jumping has always been part of Izobelle Louison-Roe’s life. Long before podiums and qualifying standards, it was there in the backyard: sibling dares, improvised take-offs, and the kind of fearless experimentation that only kids seem to master. It followed her through gymnastics, where strength and movement were learned across every… Read more: Built to Rise: Izobelle Louison-Roe Emerges as Australia’s Next High Jump Star - Mia Gross: I Thought the 400m Would Be Fine… I Was Wrong
There’s a particular kind of honesty that only shows up when things don’t go to plan. And in Canberra, Mia Gross let the cameras roll right through it. From the moment she arrived in Canberra, the signs were there. The heat. The hydration strategy bordering on military-grade. The nervous energy… Read more: Mia Gross: I Thought the 400m Would Be Fine… I Was Wrong
