Luke Mathews runs world champs 1500m qualifier

With the pacing help of training partner and best mate Ryan Gregson (Vic), Luke Mathews (Vic) has run a world championships qualifier in the 1500m over the weekend.

In the race at Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Mathews clocked a personal best with 3:35.60 to ensure his name is in the mix for Australian team selection to London 2017.

“Running the qualifier was certainly a monkey off the back,” Mathews said.

“At this point in my career, I know the qualifier is possible in any race, but it's a huge relief once you finally get it done. Now I can go out and chase wins instead of times.”

Read about 21-year-old Mathews and his blossoming ‘bromance’ with training partner Ryan Gregson here.

3:35.60 - PB and World Championships qualifier over 1500m. Incredibly selfless effort by @ryangregson25 volunteering to pace myself and MTC team mates over 1500m tonight - couldn't ask for a better training partner 🇬🇧 #MTCrising

A post shared by Luke Mathews (@lukemathews) on Jun 2, 2017 at 1:57pm PDT

Mathews was pipped at the line by Brazilian Thiago Do Rosario Andre who ran 3:35.28. Melbourne Track Club training partners Jordy Williamsz (Vic) finished 5th in 3:37.57 with Matthew Ramsden (WA) coming in 13th with 3:43.42.

In other races in Nijmegen, Jack Rayner (Vic) stretched his winning streak to three races, taking out the 5000m in 13:41.35, Zoe Buckman (Vic) won the women’s 800m in 2:05.18 and Australian world Under 20 championships representative Lachlan Barber (Vic) won his 800m race in 1:49.42.

Elsewhere in the men’s 800m, Rio Olympian Peter Bol (Vic) opened up his European racing season with a strong victory in Pfungstadt, Germany. The Justin Rinaldi coached athlete recorded a season’s best of 1:46.08, a time just 0.67 seconds outside his personal best.

In other overseas competitions, London-bound hurdler Sally Pearson (Qld) continued her strong run of form, running 12.74 (+0.6) in the heat and 12.79 (+0.6) in the final for 4th place at the adidas Boost Boston Games street meet. The event was won by Jasmin Stowers (USA) in 12.61 seconds. Pearson’s time, which matches the time she ran in the heats at the 2017 Australian Athletics Championships, is her equal fastest legal recording since May 2015.

In the long jump, Fabrice Lapierre (NSW) jumped 8.03m (-0.1) for second place just behind 4th placegetter at the Rio Olympics, Jarrion Lawson (USA) with 8.06m (+1.0). The jump is Lapierre’s first legal distance over eight metres this year. Lapierre produced a massive windy 8.50m (+4.4) at the Austin Longhorn Invitational (USA) in late April.

In Boston, Sam McEntee (Vic) finished fourth in a field of seven in the men’s 5000m finishing in 13:27.56.