Big Names Fire on International Soil | Weekend Recap
Published Mon 19 Jun 2023
Former Australian record holder Joseph Deng has charged to his fastest time in five years to qualify for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary as Australia’s jumpers leapt into hot form and Jake Penny starred on a weekend of eye-catching results.
Taking a handful of European races to run himself into form, Joseph Deng (Justin Rinaldi) delivered a scorching 1:44.48 performance for second place over 800m in Starsbourg, France to nail the 1:44.70 standard for the Budapest World Championships.
The smooth-mover stretched his legs down the back straight before locking horns with Mohamed Ali Gouaned (Algeria, 1:44.47) in the run for home, setting the second fastest time of his career and his sixth sub-1:45 performance – the fastest of which is his former Australian record of 1:44.21 from the 2018 Monaco Diamond League.
Teammate Peter Bol (Justin Rinaldi) made his return to the track for the first time since the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, inspired by the strong form of Deng when stopping the clock in 1:45.81 for fourth place in Nancy, France.
Pulling up on the shoulder of the leaders in the bell lap, the Olympic finalist battled valiantly through to the finish despite fading in the final 30-metres, closing out his return race before preparing to go again in Pfungstaft, Germany on Wednesday.
Extending her winning streak to seven for seven in 2023, Nicola Olysalgers (Matt Horsnell) continued her perfect year in Brno, Czech Republic. Jumping at the unique street-style meeting, the Olympic silver medallist soared over 1.99m to secure a 15-centimetre victory over her nearest rivals, making it three wins from three starts on international soil this campaign.
Racing in Meilen, Switzerland it was Jake Penny (Mandi Cole & Matt Wade) who lit up the home straight with a career-best run of 10.14 (+1.9) to claim a big win, with fellow Australian Jacob Despard (Rolf Ohman) finishing fourth in 10.33. Penny’s time obliterated his previous best of 10.23-seconds, opening his international season in style. Connor Fry (Steve Fabris) finished in second place of the 400m hurdles in 51.07. Adding to the 400m hurdles action in Nice, France Sarah Carli (Melissa Smith) set the second fastest time of her career with 55.05 for second place, after last week's 54.66-second personal best to qualify for the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Finland proved a happy hunting ground for Chris Mitrevski (John Boas) who flew back to form in Kuortane with a 8.19m (+2.2) jump, taking out the competition with the confidence-boosting performance. Top-three finishes rolled on with back-to-back world champion Kelsey-Lee Barber (Mike Barber) throwing 60.37m for second place in the javelin, with her feats matched by Ella Connolly’s (Andrew Murphy) 23.41 (+1.4) for second over 200m.
21-year-old Jack Lunn (Steve Fabris) shattered the elusive 1:46-barrier for the first time in his career in Vienna, Austria with a barnstorming run of 1:45.88 over 800m for second place – finishing ahead of compatriots Riley McGown (Des Proctor, 1:46.29) in seventh place and Lachlan Raper (Ben Liddy, 1:47.62) in 10th. Tess Kirsopp-Cole (Craig Mottram) added to the two-lap success with a run of 2:02.59 for third place, ahead of Jaylah Hancock-Cameron (Andae Kalemusic) who set a new personal best of 2:03.41.
Australian duo Caitlin Adams (Adam Didyk) and Maudie Skyring (Craig Mottram) rounded out the action in Vienna with a pair of 5000m personal bests, setting times of 15:24.97 and 15:48.29 respectively for sixth and 15th placings.
Athletics Australia’s Under 20 and Under 23 Tours rolled on at the England Athletics Championships, with World Under 20 representative Lachlan Kennedy (Andrew Iselin) leading the way with a swift 10.28-second run for silver. Continuing his steady progress, Kennedy’s personal best was followed by Howard McDonald (Ben Thomson) who won the javelin with a 78.05m effort. The wins stacked up as Reece Holder (Sharon Dale) laid down another strong 400m performance of 46.08 while World Under 20 finalist Darcy Miller (Steve Larsson) threw 58.31m for victory in the discus, along with Francesca Peacock (Julian Konle) who took flight over 1.78m in the high jump.
The 400m hurdling duo of Kyle Bennett (Sharon Dale) and Amelita Case (Nick Bennett) registered podium finishes over the sticks, with Bennett clocking 51.61 for second place while Case set a new career-best of 1:00.73 for third place.
In Gothenburg, Sweden it was Samantha Dale (Andrew Murphy) who leapt to a third place finish in the long jump with 6.34m (+1.5), while Nick Andrews (Tim O’Neill) hurdled his way to 13.94 (+1.5) for fifth place in the 110m hurdles. Meanwhile in Ratingen, heptathlete Taneille Crase (Glynis Nunn) capitalised on her hurdling and jumping prowess to score 5903 points for ninth place.
Triple jump action rounded out the international weekend in Essen, Germany as Julian Konle (Gary Bourne) added to his consistent season with a 16.39m (+0.9) effort for second place, finishing one position ahead of Connor Murphy (Andrew Murphy) with 16.24m (+0.3).
On Australian soil, six members of Australia’s team bound for the World Para Athletics Championships in Paris in 19 days’ time put the finishing touches on their preparation, led by Chad Perris (T13, Matt Beckenham) who bounced back from injury with a run of 11.17 (-1.3) in Perth.
Western Australian sprinting duo Rhiannon Clarke (T38, Danny Kevan) and Ella Pardy (T38, Danny Kevan) bolted to times of 13.21 (-1.2) and 13.52 in the 100m, before returning to clock 27.38 (+1.2) and 28.04 respectively over 200m.
The nation’s throwers were also in good form as Jackson Hamilton (F13, Morgan Ward) launched the javelin 62.49m, while Sarah Edmiston (F44, Paul Edmiston) sent the discus 34.85m. Sarah Walsh (T64, Matt Beckenham) leapt to a mark of 4.79m (-0.7) in the long jump.
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 19/6/2023
