1500m events to lead day 7 at the World Champs

Day 7 is led by both the men’s and women’s 1500m events.

In the men’s events, heat 1 will see Ryan Gregson up against Jakob Ingebritson (NOR) at 10:00pm local time (5:00am 4 Oct). Heat 2 features Matthew Ramsden at 10:12pm local time (5:12am 4 Oct) and Stewart McSweyn is running in heat 3 at 10:24 local time (5:24am 4 Oct – AEST).  The men need to be in the first six of their heat or have one of the sixth fastest times.

Before the men’s 1500m go out to do battle, Cedric Dubler will compete in three more decathlon events – the 110m hurdles, the discus, the pole vault. Later in the day he will finish off his decathlon with the javelin and the 1500m. After Day 1 Cedric sits in 14^th with 4135 points.

All three Australian women qualifyed for the 1500m semi-final - Georgia Griffith, Linden Hall and Jessica Hull, they will run at 11:00pm local time (6:00pm 4 Oct – AEST).  The women need to be one the first five in their heat or have one of the two fastest times to qualify for the final.

Cedric Dubler is in the men’s decathlon starting on Day 7 of the IAAF World Athletics Championships

State: QLD

Event & PB: Decathlon 8229 points (Gold Coast AUS, 16/17 Feb 2018)

Coach: Eric Brown

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram): @cedricdubler/cedricdubler

International Champs & medals:

World Juniors (2012, 2014)

Olympic Games (2016)

World Championship (2017)

Commonwealth Games (2018 bronze)

Cedric Dubler has compiled a tremendous junior career and is one of Australia’s greatest ever in the event. After placing fourth at the 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships, he won silver two years later in an Australian under-20 record. In 2016 he was superb at the 2016 Nationals and Olympic Trial, scoring 8114 points to exceed the Olympic qualifying standard by 14 points and move to the third best in Australian history.  He became the first Australian decathlete to qualify for the Olympics since 2000. He backed up his trials performance with an excellent score of 8024 points at the Rio Olympics, placing 14th – the best by an Aussie for 32 years.

On limited preparation in 2017, he defended his national title and placed 18th at the 2017 IAAF World Championships. He prepared meticulously for a shot at the Commonwealth Games in his own state. Over the 2017/18 summer he made improvements in the 110m hurdles, discus and pole vault. At the national championships and Commonwealth Games trials he achieved PBs in the 100m, shot, 110m hurdles pole vault, javelin and 1500m. He tallied a PB score of 8229, third highest by an Australian and the best mark by an Aussie for 20 years. Unfortunately, he injured his elbow after the trials and his participation was in doubt, but he managed to complete the competition with a score of 7983 and was well rewarded with bronze. In 2019 a threat emerged, his training partner Ashley Moloney. Cedric won the national title, but placed second to Ashley at the Oceania Championships.

Started athletics - Encouraged to take up sport by coach Eric Brown. “At the start of my athletics career, I (dabbled) with a few different events. I started with the 800m, the long jump, then went to the sprints. I never really knew where I stood, and that’s when I joined Eric, to train in pole vault. He said, ‘Look, we’ve got a decathlete here.’”…Ambition: “To find my body’s potential and push my limits”…Hobbies - Travelling, photography and Vlogger/blogging. Has produced original social content, and his LinkedIn profile notes him as a: “Brand Ambassador, Social Influencer and Content Creator.” One of his Facebook posts, a video of him unpacking his London world championships uniform, went viral.

Ryan Gregson is in the men’s 1500m heat at 10:00pm (5:00am 4 Oct -AEST)

State: VIC

Event & PBs: 1500m 3:31.06 (Monaco MON, 22 July 2010)

Coach: Nic Bideau

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram): @RyanGregson25/RyanGregson25

International Champs & medals:

World Mountain Running Champs (2006 junior)

World Youth Championships (2007)

World Juniors (2008)

World Cross Country Championships (2008 U20, 2009 U20)

World Championships (2009, 2011, 2015, 2017)

Continental Cup (2018) Olympic Games (2012, 2016)

World University Games (2009)

World Indoors (2018)

World Relays (2014, 2015 2 x bronze)

Commonwealth Games (2014, 2018)

Ryan Gregson had an impressive junior career, setting national age records and place fifth at the 2007 World Youth Championships and the 2008 World Junior Championships, followed by selection and competition at the 2009 World Championships. In his first year in 2010 as a senior, he broke the 19-year-old Australian open 1500m record, running 3:31.06 in Monaco. He earned a semi-final berth at the 2011 World Championships and 2012 Olympic Games.

The next few years saw limited success with injury and illness restricting his performances but returned in 2016 with a boom year of results. After an undefeated domestic season, he claimed two IAAF Diamond League podiums before clocking his second fastest ever time in Monaco. In Rio, he progressed to the 1500m final, the first Aussie in 40 years to make the final.

In 2017 he lowered the Australian indoor 1500m record in Birmingham, clocking 3:36.50. In April he defended his national 1500m crown, in a pedestrian tactical race. He completed in his fourth World Championships in London. Placed ninth in the final of the 1500m at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Nickname - Little King (he discovered Ryan means ‘little king’ in Irish and the name stuck)…Sporting relatives – Wife Genevieve Lacaze ran at the London 2012 Olympic Games and at Rio 2016. Cousin Casey Eastman played hockey at three Olympic Games - Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016…Other sports - Played hockey at junior state level…. Injuries - Missed Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games because of stress fracture in foot, troubled by calf and foot injuries in 2011, tore calf muscle in 2012 but made it to London 2012 Olympic Games, then tore other calf muscle in 1500m heat…Reason - Tried the sport at age four at Albion Park Little Athletics Centre…Hero - Steve Ovett…Influence - Parents and coach Nic Bideau.

Stewart McSweyn is in the men’s 1500m heat at 10:00pm (5:00am 4 Oct -AEST)

State: TAS

Resident: Melbourne

Event & PBs: 1500m 3:31.81 (Monaco MON, 12 Jul 2019), 5000m 13:05.23 (Brussels BEL, 31 Aug 2018)

Coach: Nic Bideau

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram): @Stewy_mac3 /stewy_mac3

International Champs & medals:

World Cross Country (2013 junior, 2017, 2019)

World University Games (2015)

Continental Cup (2018)

World Championships (2017)

Commonwealth Games (2018)

Stewart McSweyn grew up on Tasmania’s small but picturesque, King Island, located in the Bass Strait, population less than 2000. He went to school at King Island District School and ran around his family’s beef and sheep farm. He boarded at Ballarat Clarendon College from Year 7 and ran for the strong Eureka Athletics Club. Up to 14 or 15 he played cricket, tennis and AFL, but then decided to concentrate on athletics. “It was an easy choice as it was my best sport. Also I had got a few injuries in AFL.” He developed nicely under local coach Rod Griffin and cemented his love for the sport.

Most teenage years he would make nationals and occasional won a medal. Competed at the 2013 World Cross Country in the junior race and two years later at the World University Games in the 5000m. The versatile athlete competed in the steeplechase at the 2017 World Championships, but switched his focus to the 5000m and 10,000m for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Over 10 weeks from June to the end of Aug 2018 he smashed his PBs from 1500m to 5000m – 3:34.82 (1500m), 7:34.79 (3000m), 13:05.23 (5000m) & 28:05.37 (10,000). In December he won Zatopek in another PB 27:50.89.

There have been more PBs in 2019, starting early with a national indoor 1500m record of 3:35.10. Then outdoors he twice ran 3:31.81, just outside training partner Ryan Gregson’s national record. His 1500m and 5000m times made him the second fastest in Australian history. One hiccup was the 2019 World Cross Country Championships where he was ill with the flu leading into the race and could not start.

Hero – two local athletes in Ballarat when he was at school: Collis Birmingham was supportive, gave advice and allowed me to train with him. Brett Robinson - In his first year at Uni in the 2014 season, Stewart nearly given up the sport, but Brett supported and encouraged him to come to training. Other sports - cricket, tennis and AFL. Education – Secondary Teaching Uni Southern QLD (current, graduate 2021), podiatry (2 years – incomplete due to travel)… Memorable sporting moment – “Qualifying for a home Commonwealth Games with a lot of my friends and family present.”…Influence – “My Parents (Jack & Scott), Siblings (Carmen & Angus) and my coach (Nic Bideau).”…Sporting relatives - Scott McSweyn (father) Australian weightlifting representative.

Matt Ramsden is in the men’s 1500m heat at 10:00pm (5:00am 4 Oct -AEST)

State: WA

Resident: Melbourne

Event & PB: 1500m 3:35.85 (Lahti FIN, 5 Jun 2019)

Coach: Nic Bideau

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram): m__ramsden/m.ramsden

International Champs & medals:

World Cross Country (2015 junior, 2019)

World Juniors (2016)

Matthew Ramsden started athletics aged 14 when a Japanese teacher invited him to the school runners club. He trained to break the school records and stay fit for basketball. After making the state XC team in 2012, “I realised I had a bit of talent. Before long basketball took a backwards step and I became obsessed with distance running.”

Within a couple of years he was selected for the junior event at the World Cross Country Championships, aged 17. The following year (2016) he went to the World Juniors making the 1500m final and running the 5000m. While still a teenager he ran the impressive 1500m time of 3:39.39 in May 2017.

In good form in the leadup to the 2018 Commonwealth Games trials, he ruptured his plantar fascia in his heat. He compiled a strong series of performances in the 2018/19 summer, including placing fifth in the World XC trial. After initially missing selection, he received a late call up going on to place an outstanding 39th in Aarhus in his senior international debut at the World XC. He launched his 2019 European campaign with a stunning near four seconds 1500m PB time of 3:35.85 – moving from 39th to 14th Australian all-time, to sit one place behind another WA athlete Herb Elliott. A week later he ran a seven seconds 3000m PB time of 7:45.68 (15th all-time). After a quick trip to Australia to win the Oceania Championships, he ran a five seconds mile PB time of 3:53.32 (7th all-time).

Sporting ambition - Long term is to win medals and break records. Short term is to make finals and take all the WA records from 1500m - 10,000m…Memorable achievement – Running at the WXC in Denmark and placing 39th on debut…Influence - Ryan Gregson & Nic Bideau. All the MTC boys have helped me in some way but Ryan has looked after me and given me one on one lessons since my first day in the group. He has always supported me through the highs and lows of my career and has treated me the same after victory and defeat. Without Nic I would not be in the sport right now. He has given me opportunities some athletes could only dream of, set me up financially and supported my academic ambitions. Since I met him he has reassured me I can be a great one day, even when I couldn’t see it… Advice to your young self - Go hard at it and you’ll always walk away proud…Interesting facts – “I used to have a 20cm long rats tail, I grew up in a town with a population of 800, I didn’t eat bread for 10 years after I choked on a sandwich in kindy, the most common youtube videos I watch are politics based.”

Georgia Griffith is in the women’s 1500m heats at 5:35pm (12:35pm – AEST)

Club: Box Hill Athletics Club

Event & PB: 1500m 4:04.17 (Gold Coast AUS, 10 Apr 2018), 800m 2:00.13 (Portland USA, 15 Jun 2018),

Coach: Steve Ellinghaus

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram): @GGriffith96 /georgia.griffith

International Champs & medals:

World Juniors (2014)

World Championships (2017)

World University Games (2017, 2019 silver 1500m)

Commonwealth Games (2018)

Georgia Griffith had always enjoyed running so when she moved to the city in her mid-teens, she decided to commence regular training and just days after her 17th birthday she tasted success, winning the 2013 Australian All Schools Championships 800m gold medal in a time of 2:09. At the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships in Eugene, she ran three 2:04 times through the rounds, placing fourth in the final. She also ran in the 4x400m relay which placed seventh in the final.

Her 2016/17 season was a breakthrough campaign with three domestic season 800m PBs, eventually seeing the mark sit at 2:02.09. After a stint of altitude training at Flagstaff she smashed her career bests five days apart in Portland. She first ran 2:00.90 for the 800m, to qualify for the IAAF world championships and record the fastest time by an Australian for six years. Five days later, she sliced six seconds from her 1500m career best with a time of 4:07.32, her second world championships qualifier for the week.  She was selected to compete in both events at the 2017 IAAF World Championships, becoming the first Australian athlete to compete in both events at the same world championships. She was fifth in the 800m heat (2:03.54) and 11th in the 1500m heat (4:08.99). Two weeks later she competed at the World University Games in Taipei where she concentrated on just the 800m. Running well in the early rounds, she just missed a medal in the final, by 0.3 seconds, filling fourth place. But after the event, the winner, Cuba’s Rose Almanza Blanco, was disqualified for running on the inside of the track. Griffith stood on the podium and proudly accepted the bronze medal. But later that evening, after a protest from Cuba, the winner was re-instated and Griffith relegated to her original finishing position of fourth.

Her 800m/1500m double performance continued at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, running a PB everytime she raced finished fifth in the 1500m and run out in the 800m heats. In June 2018 she returned to America to run another 800m PB 2:00.13 to move to 7th All-time. A late start to 2019 due to injury she was second in the national 800m, but started to focus on 1500m clocking a Doha world championships qualifier. In June she won the Oceania 1500m and a silver medal at the 2019 World University Games.

Hobbies - Drawing and reading…Hero – Charlene Rendina. Laura Muir – “I have always been really impressed with her style of running, particularly how hard she goes from the start.”

Jessica Hull is in the women’s 1500m heats at 5:35pm (12:35pm – AEST)

Club: Bankstown Athletics Club

Resident: Portland USA

Event & PBs: 1500m 4:02.62 (Stanford USA, 30 Jun 2019), 5000m 15:00.32 (Berlin GER, 1 Sep 2019)

Coach: Pete Julian

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram): @jessicahull143/jessicaahull

International Champs & medals: World Juniors (2014) World Cross Country (2015 - U20)

Jess Hull started athletics very young and it has been her focus ever since. “I started running in year 2 at my primary school cross country carnival. The cross country carnival was mandatory once you got to year 2 so it was my first introduction to running and I loved it! I started Little Athletics with Albion Park Little A’s later that year when the season started.”

Through her teens she was a regular on the national podium running impressive times of 4:28 (1500m) and 9:37 (3000m) at 15.  At 17, made her junior international debut at the World Juniors making the 1500m final. In 2015 she departed Wollongong for Oregon University where she completed a degree in Human Physiology major (Psychology and Sports Business minors).

At University she made a modest start in 2016, but in 2017 smashed PBs from 800m to 5000m, taking her 1500m best from 4:20 to 4:13, but not qualifying for the NCAAs. 2018 was a breakthrough year with PBs from 800m to 3000m, winning the NCAA 1500m title in 4:08.75. She was also 3rd in the indoor 3000m and gold in the relay.

Late in 2018, she was third in the highly competitive NCAA XC. 2019 was another successful US college season. Indoors she won gold in the 3000m and relay and outdoors silver in the 1500m in a PB 4:06.27. Three weeks later at Stanford she destroyed her 1500m PB running 4:02.62 to become the fourth fastest in Australian history and qualify for the Doha world championships and Tokyo Olympics. She raced a few times in Europe, including a stunning 15:00.32 5000m in Berlin – the third fastest in Australian history and fastest by an Australian for 13 years.

Sporting ambition – global finals then to competing for medals. “Ultimately, I want to get the most out of myself so I can look back one day and be satisfied with the effort I put into my training and preparation. No regrets!”... Memorable sporting achievement - sharing my first NCAA title with a home crowd, all of my teammates in the grand stands, my family and my coach at the time (Maurica Powell), was a very special moment and couldn’t have been more fitting. Everyone who was a part of my development as a Duck was there which made it so special. It was a full circle moment for me after competing there in 2014 for the World Junior Championships …Influential person – “My dad. He coached me from a young age and when I look back now I can see how his meticulous planning throughout my junior development has built the foundation I have now.”…First junior club - Kembla Joggers…Advice to your young self – “Never place any limitations on your ability or potential outcomes. Persevere, make the most of opportunities and take ownership of your process.”

Linden Hall is in the women’s 1500m heats at 5:35pm (12:35pm – AEST)

Club: Athletics Essendon

Event & PB: 4:00.86 (Eugene USA, 26 May 2018)

Coach: Bruce Scriven

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram): @Linden_hall/linden.hall

International Champs & medals:

Commonwealth Youth Games (2008)

Continental Cup (2018)

World Championships (2017)

Olympic Games (2016)

Commonwealth Games (2018)

Linden Hall started athletics while in primary school. “In Grade six I made a Victorian cross country team and after placing 11th at my first national cross country I joined Athletics Essendon and found a coach. Slowly other sports such as swimming and netball were given away to make room for athletics.” During her teenage years she was regularly on the podium at the national junior championships. At 15 she ran times of 4:27 (1500m) and 9:42 (3000m), but made only slight progression over the next few years. In 2011 she headed to Florida State college in America. During her college career she made three NCAA 1500m finals, winning bronze in 2014. She departed in 2015 with a 1500m PB of 4:15. Shortly after she graduated, in Europe in 2015 she ran a five seconds 1500m PB 4:10.41. After a modest 2016 domestic season, the breakthrough came in May 2016 running 4:04.47 in Stanford and four weeks later 4:01.78. She was now the third fastest in Australian history and insight of the national record held by one of her former coaches Sarah Jamieson. She made the semi-finals at the Rio Olympics and the next year (2017) ran in the heats at the London World Championships.

She won the 2018 national title and at the Commonwealth Games placed fourth in the 1500m missing a medal by just 0.23 seconds. She headed overseas to compete and in May and July she claimed the national records in the 1500m (4:00.86 in Prefontaine) and mile (4:21.40 in London). She didn’t run domestically in 2019 with a number of injuries - two torn calf muscles/tendon, torn quad muscle and tendonitis in the knee/quads tendon. She returned to competition in mid-2019 with two 4:04 1500m runs in London and Zurich.

Education – Science (Dietetics) at Florida State Uni, M. Dietetics, Monash Uni…Sporting ambition - To break four minutes for the 1500m…Sporting achievement - Running for Australia at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. Walking out into that stadium is a moment I will never forget…Sporting moment - Competing at a home Commonwealth Games in 2018, the atmosphere and support were absolutely incredible…Hero - “Sarah Jamieson was Australia’s top 1500m runner when I was a junior and consequently someone I followed closely and looked up to a great deal. I’ve been lucky enough to have Sarah as part of my support team for quite a few years - an amazing mentor.”…Advice to your young self - Enjoy the friends you make and the places you get to explore through athletics…Sporting relatives - Grandfather’s cousin is Ken Hall, an Australian top-15 miler…Nickname - Lins, Lindy, The Don…