Indoor Aussies Dominate the Boards

Quite literally, the times are changing. With great debate surrounding indoor tracks and spike technology, times that were once run by greats of the sport are now being matched by college kids – but most importantly, our Aussies are keeping up.

19-year-old Ky Robinson (Stanford) is best known for his prowess in the steeplechase after shattering the Australian Under 20 record in 2021 with a time of 8:32.01, but the Queenslander just clocked 13:21.85 over 5000m indoors to take the win in Washington – the second fastest time in Australian history.

Robinson has gone from strength to strength in his time at Stanford University to emerge as one of the nation’s brightest middle-distance talents, with competitive results in the esteemed NCAA system always a firm indicator of positive athlete trajectory.

Racing at the renowned fast track of Boston University, Lauren Ryan (Florida State) took full advantage of the opportunity when tearing her way around 3000m in a World Athletics Indoor Championships qualifier of 8:47.88 – the fourth fastest time in NCAA history.

Ryan’s time places her seventh on the Australian all-time list in all conditions, with the 23-year-old Australian setting herself up for a big year with opportunities both in the NCAA and on the international scene in the green and gold – as she chases the 5000m World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games standard of 15:10.00.

Also in Boston was Jack Anstey, who set a new indoor 1500m personal best of 3:38.65 - a time that also surpasses his outdoor best of 3:39.17. 

Adam Spencer (Wisconsin) looks set to build on a rich legacy of Australians running for Wisconsin, punishing the field in Chicago to win his first race for the Badgers with a clinical mile performance of 3:57.29.

Following in the footsteps of Oliver Hoare and Morgan McDonald as recent Australians to thrive under the guidance of Mick Byrne at the Badgers, Spencer has stamped himself as one to watch in the coming years – with the 3:39.94 1500m-man destined to shave significant margins off his personal bests.

Fellow Australian Oliver Raimond (Michigan) finished in fourth place of the race, breaking the four minute barrier with a significant personal best of 3:59.47.

Also repping the red and white of Wisconsin was Jackson Sharp, who improved on his early-season form to register a blistering 7:48.56 to finish in fifth place of a stacked 3000m field in the Windy City. Sharp looks to have found another gear upon returning to the Badgers after a short stint down under, and is primed for a big season. 

Ruby Smee (San Francisco) continues to quietly go about her business in the NCAA, climbing onto the dais in Washington after finishing third in the 5000m in a time of 15:36.04. Whilst the time obliterates her previous personal best of 16:01.81, it comes as no surprise – with the Tasmanian’s improved aerobic engine on display throughout the NCAA Cross Country season.

Former world junior representative Amelia Mazza-Downie (New Mexico) finished in eighth place of the encounter with the clock reading 15:49.82, as the 22-year-old Australian looks to build on her form of 2021 form which took her to a top-10 finish in the outdoor NCAA Championships.

Heidi Demeo (Oklahoma State) put in a strong showing over 3000m to set a new personal best of 9:29.12 en route to second place in Washington, whilst 800m runner Carley Thomas (Washington) clocked 2:06.15 on her home track to finish in sixth place.

In the field and the man-mountain that is Alexander Kolesnikoff (Harvard) continued his 2022 campaign which has been a model of consistency to date, launching the shot 18.46m at Clemson. Kolesnikoff will undoubtedly be eyeing off the elusive 20-metre barrier when the outdoor season arrives, after flirting with the feat throughout 2021.

On home soil it was Australia’s pole vaulters who continued their lowkey start to the season, with Nina Kennedy (Paul Burgess) leading the way with a 4.60m clearance as she begins to put consistent jumping under her belt.

Kennedy has already met the qualification standard for the 2022 World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games with her recent clearance of 4.70m, but will first compete at the World Athletics Indoor Championships to be held in Belgrade next month.

There, she will be joined by teammate Kurtis Marschall (Paul Burgess) who cleared 5.55m over the weekend to open proceedings for the year – with the duo more than capable of mixing it with the world’s best when fit and firing.

19-year-old Olivia Gross (Paul Burgess) made her way up and over 3.80m for the third consecutive occasion this year, after moving from Victoria to Western Australia to join Australia’s elite pole vaulting ranks.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 14/02/2022