Hoare Leads Aussies in Early-Season Showings
Published Mon 06 Dec 2021
The weekend belonged to Olympian Ollie Hoare (Dathan Ritzenhein) who demolished the Australian indoor 5000m record by over 27 seconds when running 13:09.96 for the win at Boston University, becoming only the fourth Australian man in history to break 13:10 over the distance (joining Mottram, Birmingham and McSweyn).
The performance is Hoare’s second Australian indoor record of 2021, after stopping the clock in 3:32.35 over 1500m in February – a form line that reads well for the World Athletics Indoor Championships which are set to be held in Belgrade on March 18-20 in which Hoare has qualififed for the 1500m/5000m.
Hoare impressed at his first major championship appearance when making the final of the 1500m in Tokyo, with the experience likely to bolster his confidence ahead of a blockbuster 2022 where the 24-year-old may have options across a range of events and major meets - having now secured a 5000m qualifier for the 2022 World Athletics Championships.
Fellow Olympian Amy Cashin (Sean Clearly) also managed to make her way onto the dais in Boston, with a swift 8:53.07 good enough for third place in the 3000m - a promising season opener on the flat before the steeplechaser reintroduces the barriers.
The indoor action rolled on with Lauren Ryan (Bob Barman) and Alex Stitt (Jackson Elliott) setting new Florida State and Oklahoma State school records respectively, with Ryan clocking 15:40.40 over 5000m and Stitt punching in a swift 2:21.89 over 1000m.
Back on home soil and the Queensland sprinting factory continued to produce early-season results, headlined by the Mark Ladbrook coached duo of Ella Connolly and Alex Beck rolling out scorching performances.
Connolly managed to set two new personal bests on the day, starting proceedings with a blistering 11.25 (0.1) to climb to 10th on the Australian all-time 100m list - before making it a double when clocking 52.28 over 400m.
Beck’s first 400m race since setting a new personal best of 45.54 in Tokyo saw him cross the line in 45.95 – a run that sets up the 29-year-old well to reach new heights in 2022 as he eyes major championship berths. Beck was not without company though, with the ever-improving Connor Diffey (Matt Lynch) clinching second in 46.28, followed by junior Tyson Bonney (Mark Ladbrook) in 46.92.
Rising star Ashley Wong (Travis Venema) couldn’t get past teammate Alex Hartman (Travis Venema) in the 100m as Hartman prevailed in 10.49 (+1.4) to Wong’s 10.57, but Wong returned to run a crucial leg in the 4x200m relay in which a new Australian Under 18 record was set (pending ratification).
The team comprised of Queensland University of Technology members Ashley Wong, Rory Easton, Tyler Lilley and Lachlan Cox stopped the clock in 1:26.75 to surpass the previous Australian record of 1:28.3 set by Victoria in 1983.
Meanwhile it was Olympians Ryan Gregson (Nic Bideau) and Eloise Wellings (Nic Bideau) who stole the show at the Real Insurance Sydney Harbour 10k event, winning in times of 29:31 and 32:28 respectively in slippery conditions.
"I ran my first marathon 9 weeks ago in London and I wasn’t sure if there was enough recovery time to do this one, but I pulled up really well,” Wellings said.
"I’m just really excited that road races are back on in Australia and Sydney, it’s just so great to see everyone out here having a great day.”
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 6/12/2021
