AUSTRALIAN RECORD FOR CATRIONA BISSET LEADS THE WAY FOR AUSTRALIA AT THE LONDON DIAMOND LEAGUE

An Australian 800m record of 1:58.78 by Melbournian Catriona Bisset has led the results of 23 Australian performances at the London Diamond League.

Catriona Bisset broke Charlene Rendina’s 800m record of 1:59.0, set in 1976, which is the second oldest Australian athletics record (Peter Norman holds the 200m record of 20.06 set in 1968).

“I felt really good and a national record, I think I even kicked a little early. Lynsey (Sharp) felt me coming round and pushed me out onto lane two but, that was great. I felt so strong, coming down the back straight I feel like I still had a lot in me and it was nice to push it all the way, that was so good,” Bisset said.

The performance leads a great six months for Catriona Bisset.

• Victorian Milers Club – 800m 1st 2:03.03 (21 March, 2019)
• Australian Track & Field Championships -  800m 1st 2:00.48 (7 April, 2019)
• UniSport National Championships  - 800m 1st 1:59.78 (14 April, 2019)
• Oceania Championships - 800m 1st 2:02.16 (27 June, 2019)
• World University Games - 800m 1st 2:01.20 (10 July, 2019)
• London Diamond League – 800m 2nd 1:58.78 (22 July, 2019)

Speaking just after the race, Bisset said:

“I knew I had that kind of race in me just because of the winning streak. I knew if I had a quick pace maker I could take some time off some my PB and I took exactly a second off,” Bisset said.

The time by Catriona Bisset is a Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying time (1:59.50).

In the same event, Morgan Mitchell ran a personal best time of 2:00.06, which is a World Athletics Championship qualifying time (2:00.60) and junior Carley Thomas ran 2:01.01.

In the men’s mile race Matt Ramsden destroyed his old PB, taking five seconds from his best with a time of 3:53.32 in fifth place, with Ryan Gregson finishing in 9th in a quick 3:54.54.

On Day 1 of the two day London Diamond League meet the two lead Australian performances were by Stewart McSweyn (5000m) and Kelsey-Lee Barber (Javelin).

Stewart McSweyn (King Island, Tasmania) ran 13:05.63 in the 5000m, finishing 4th and Kelsey-Lee Barber (Canberra) threw 65.85m, finishing 2nd.

The time for McSweyn is both a World Athletics Championship qualifying time (13:22.55) and a Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying time (13:13.50), the second event that McSweyn has run both an World Athletics Championship qualifying time and a Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying time after he ran 3:31.81 in the 1500m in the Monaco Diamond League nine days ago.

Australian results at the London Diamond League:

• Stewart McSweyn – 5000m 13:05.63 (Doha/Tokyo Qualifier)
• Patrick Tiernan – 5000m 13:12.68 PB (Doha/Tokyo Qualifier)
• Morgan McDonald – 5000m 13:18.91 (Doha qualifier)
• Brett Robinson – 5000m 13:39.37
• Sam McEntee – 5000m 13:55.07
• Jordan Gusman – 5000m DNF
• Linden Hall – 1500m 4:04.29 (Doha qualifier)
• Kelsey-Lee Barber - javelin 65.85 (Doha/Tokyo Qualifier)
• Henry Smith – Long Jump 7.57m
• Naa Anang, Riley Day, Nana Afriyie-Owusu, Kristie Edwards – 4x100m 44.04
• Celeste Mucci – 100m Hurdes DNF
• Matt Denny – Discus 63.25m
• Catriona Bisset - 800m 1:58.78 PB (Doha/Tokyo Qualifier)
• Morgan Mitchell – 800m 2:00.06 PB (Doha qualifier)
• Carley Thomas – 800m 2:01.01 PB
• Brooke Stratton – Long Jump 6.64m
• Matt Ramsden – Mile 3:53.32 PB
• Ryan Gregson – Mile 3:54.54
• Jordan Williamsz – Mile (Pacer) – DNF
• Natalie Rule – 5000m (Pacer) - DNF