Big Name Australians Flock to Riga World Athletics Road Running Championships

Australia will field a star-studded lineup at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia led by Jessica Hull and Stewart McSweyn, as the 14-strong team boasts a bank of international experience for the championships to be held from September 30 - October 1.

Racing over 1 Mile, 5km and Half Marathon (21.1km) distances, Australia’s distance-running depth is set to shine as the nation’s biggest names prepare to lace up in the Latvian capital.

Fresh off a world-class performance at the 2023 World Athletics Championships when placing seventh in the 1500m, global medallist Jessica Hull (NSW, Simon Hull) will don the green and gold for the third time this year after winning bronze in the Mixed 4x2km Relay at the World Cross Country Championships, set to be joined by senior debutant Sarah Billings (VIC, Collis Birmingham).

“The Australian women have been incredible this season! We’ll be looking to carry that into these championships to cap off a great year for our female athletes. If we can bring that into Riga, we’ll have put together a year that collectively is probably the deepest and most versatile our Aussie middle and long distance women have ever been,” Hull said.

“Having the World Road Running Championships at the end of the European season has been a great motivator to keep building on my season so far. At this time of year, a lot of athletes can start to feel tired and are almost running out of fitness from the long season, but I feel really fresh and like I’m still building layers with each week my season extends.

I think they’ve taken some notes from our World Cross Country in Bathurst too with a few mass participation races included in the program. These are the kinds of events that really move our sport forward when the general population can have a go alongside the elites!”

Matthew Ramsden (WA, Nic Bideau) and Jack Anstey (NSW, Stephen Haas) will race the Men’s 1 Mile, while the Tokyo Olympic duo of Stewart McSweyn (TAS, Nic Bideau) and Morgan McDonald (NSW, Dathan Ritzenhein) will launch a two-pronged attack in the Men’s 5km.

Craig Mottram’s 13:20 Australian record on the roads of Carlsbad in 2005 remains within McSweyn’s reach, but the King Island product is focussed on rounding out his year in style after finishing in 13^th place of the 5000m in Budapest.

“I’m looking forward to finishing my season strong in Latvia for the World Road Running Championships! It’s a huge honour to get to represent the country for a third time this year, and I honestly can’t wait to step out on the roads in Latvia in a couple of weeks time against the best in the world,” McSweyn said.

Adding to Australia’s representation over the shorter disciplines, the Women’s 5km sees Lauren Ryan (VIC, Lara Rogers) and Caitlin Adams (SA, Adam Didyk) earn their second Australian tracksuits of the season.

Athletes in the Half Marathon will compete for both individual and team glory, with Olympian Isobel Batt-Doyle (SA, Nic Bideau) spearheading Australia’s charge to prominence for the endurance women.

Complemented by Sinead Noonan (WA, Raf Baugh) and Tara Palm (SA, Peter-John Bosch), the trio will demonstrate the importance of camaraderie in the championship bout which features a US$30,000 reward for first place, with team placings decided by the aggregate of each country’s first three athletes to cross the finish line.

The same format applies for the men, where Australia will be represented by Ed Goddard (NSW, Gavin Burren), Tim Vincent (QLD, Jackson Elliot) and Riley Cocks (SA, Nic Bideau).

Athletics Australia General Manager – High Performance, Andrew Faichney highlighted the credentials of the team and noted the positive momentum of Australian athletics after a successful 2023 World Athletics Championships.

“Collecting a record six Australian medals in Budapest was significant in reassuring and inspiring our athletes that they can mix it with the world’s best on the eve on an Olympic and Paralympic year. The performances have uplifted Australian athletes to finish their 2023 campaigns strongly, especially those with representative opportunities,” Faichney said.

“The World Road Running Championships in Riga present a significant opportunity for our athletes to compete in high-level competition and build upon their international experience, and the calibre of athletes selected is reflective of that.”

The 2023 World Athletics Road Running Championships will be held in Riga, Latvia from September 30 – October 1. More information can be found HERE.

AUSTRALIAN TEAM FOR THE 2023 WORLD ATHLETICS ROAD RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS:

1 Mile:

Jessica Hull (NSW, Simon Hull), Sarah Billings (VIC, Collis Birmingham)

Matthew Ramsden (WA, Nic Bideau), Jack Anstey (NSW, Stephen Haas)

5km:

Lauren Ryan (VIC, Lara Rogers), Caitlin Adams (SA, Adam Didyk)

Stewart McSweyn (TAS, Nic Bideau), Morgan McDonald (NSW, Dathan Ritzenhein)

Half Marathon:

Isobel Batt-Doyle (SA, Nic Bideau), Sinead Noonan (WA, Raf Baugh), Tara Palm (SA, Peter-John Bosch)

Ed Goddard (NSW, Gavin Burren), Tim Vincent (QLD, Jackson Elliot), Riley Cocks (SA, Nic Bideau)

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 8/9/2023