Bol clinches Olympic qualifier at Oceania Athletics Invitational

Victoria’s Peter Bol has one foot on the plane to Tokyo, after clinching the qualifying standard in the 800m at the first meet of the Oceania Athletics Invitation series on the Gold Coast this evening.

Stunning crowds over two laps, Bol crossed the line in 1:44.88, finally dipping under the Tokyo qualifying standard after finishing agonizingly close throughout the Australian Summer of Athletics. In his victory, Bol defeated Kiwi’s James Preston and Brad Mathas.

With a previous season’s best of 1:45.23, the 27-year-old said the win came with sheer relief, with just 24 days left of the Tokyo qualifying period.

“Usually after races I feel really tired, but today I ran so relaxed and I feel really good. All season, I was so tense chasing the Olympic qualifier, but today I thought, let’s just run like we do in training,” Bol said.

“My last race in Box Hill, I was so tired of chasing it. Nationals were more relaxed, but having that break and coming here with fresh legs and a fresh mind, has done me well.”

Flying across the finish line in the women’s 100m was Hana Basic (John Nicolosi), who ran a stunning 11.14 (2.4). While wind assisted run means the time cannot be counted as a Tokyo qualifier, the win and her time will give her a significant boost up the world rankings as she aims for her first Olympic Games.

The victory was even sweeter, after battling injury for the past six weeks since the Australian Track and Field Championships.

“I’m just in shock at the moment. I didn’t know if my legs were going really fast or just spinning on the spot, but I could definitely feel the wind,” Basic said.

“It has been a pretty interrupted six weeks. I spent a couple of weeks on the bike – kept training hard of course. My coach said I’m going to get you to Tokyo even if it is on the bike. All guns blazing as usual.”

“I was training hard in that six weeks putting in just as much effort if not more as I was during the season. This time is more of just a massive weight lifted off my shoulders – I have that first race back and it’s only down in times from here.”

“We got the all clear from Dr Blackman a few weeks ago and eased back into it. The calf was feeling a little funny in the warm up so I spoke to Adam (Larcom) but here we are and it feels great.”

Four of Australia’s fastest ever female 100m hurdlers lined up with the aim of cementing one of the two remaining spots on the team for Tokyo. Hannah Jones (Sally Pearson) won the event on her home track, with a new personal best of 12.91 (+0.5). The result moves her past Olympic medallist Pam Ryan, to number four on the Australian all-time list.

Ranked 40^th in the world prior her race today, the win was also important as she proves her form to selectors ahead of the qualification deadline.

“For me the start was the focus in that race and getting those first three steps and really getting the power, to fix the mistakes I made at nationals,” Jones said.

“It was great to get the PB today. I had a lot of confidence from training. The last block has been really good, so we were really hoping for a qualifier. While it wasn’t there today, I’m stocked to be running this fast.”

The women’s 400m saw Rio Olympian Anneliese Rubie-Renshaw (Peter Fortune) take charge, running a season’s best of 52.87. Behind her was Ellie Beer (Brett Roninson), representing the Australian Under 20 Team, crossing the line in 53.35.

Already selected for her first Paralympic Games, Sarah Edmiston (Paul Edmiston) threw an A qualifier in the F44 discus with a result of 36.80 - her best qualifying performance yet by 3cm, showing much promise come August. Edmiston has amounted 11 qualifiers over the season, highlighting her consistency. 

World Champion and world record holder in the F38 javelin throw Corey Anderson  (Des Davis) threw a B qualifying standard of 51.75m, a result which is near his season's best of 51.95. Anderson defeated former world champion in the same class  Jayden  Sawyer (Mike Barber) threw his second qualifying standard ahead of the Tokyo Paralympics, with a result of 47.65m. 

Rising middle distance star Dan Bounty (T38, Peter Bock) impressed over 1500m, adding another B qualifier to his achievements as well, clocking 4:16.71 - three seconds slower than his best for the summer season. 

Three times over summer, Rosemary Little (Karyne Di Marco & Breanne Clement) threw over 6m in the seated shot put (F32) and while she just missed her best, with a result of 5.90, the result is a B qualifier as she looks to compete in her first Paralympics as a thrower, after competing in London and Rio as a wheelchair racer. 

In the F38 discus, Samantha Schmidt (Ralph Newton) threw her seventh qualifying performance, at 32.05m.

In a bid to reach the top 16 teams in the world to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, the Open men’s 4 x 100m relay team consisting of Jake Doran (Paul di Bella),  Alexander Hartmann (Travis Venema), Jake Hale (Adam Larcom) and Jake Penny (Matt Wade & Mandy Cole) ran an impressive 39.02.

It wasn’t just Australia’s Tokyo hopefuls that shined on the track at Runaway Bay today, with the Australian Under 20 Team donning the green and gold – most for the first time.  The team, selected last month, is representing the nation at the Invitational series in lieu of the World Under 20 Championships in Kenya.

Taylah Cruttenden (Braiden Clarke) continued her impressive form in the 100m, clocking 11.49 to place fourth behind Bree Masters, (Ryan Hoffman) with Queensland’s rising star Torrie Lewis (Gerrard Keating) following just behind with 11.56.  Lewis and Cruttenden also raced in the Women’s Under 20 relay team, along with Olivia Matzer and Tierney Dunne but were disqualified.

“We got here on Wednesday, and our first day of training was Thursday so we’ve only had one day of relay training, but it’s great to be here and we’ll come back and be competitive with the Opens,” Lewis said.

“We have been working on some power stuff in training and I felt like I got a really good start in my 100m, but my back end wasn’t great so I’ll make some adjustments this week at camp for next week.”

The Australian Under 20 Team will continue their campaign next weekend at the second and final meet of the Gold Coast series, supported by Commonwealth Games Australia’s Green to Gold to Great program for the rising stars of Australian sport as well as the City of Gold Coast.

Today’s Oceania Athletics Invitational was the first meet in a two-part series, proudly supported by the City of Gold Coast.

Full results can be found here.

 By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 5/6/2021