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McSweyn gets win and 5000m qualifier in Dublin

Published Thu 13 Jul 2017

Tasmanian distance runner Stewart McSweyn has run a big personal best of 13:19.98 to win the 5000m at the Morton Games in Ireland and notch a qualifier for the London world championships.

The 22-year-old took victory in Dublin overnight and moved himself into twelfth on the Australian All-Time record list, and just over a second outside the top ten.

As this European season has progressed McSweyn’s improvement on the track has been considerable, taking his 3000m steeplechase best marginally down to 8:34.25 with a run in Sweden last month.

Personal bests have also come for him over 3000m with a 7:47.65 in Finland, which came a few months after running 13:53 for a 5km road race in the United States.

McSweyn can thank fellow Melbourne Track Club athlete Collis Birmingham for leading him for over a mile into the last lap and setting up a perfect opportunity to hit a qualifying mark.

Over the last lap Birmingham carried on to finish second in 13:28.29 while another Australian in the field Jack Rayner crossed the line in 14:03.35.

Also competing at the Morton Games were Selma Kajan who was eleventh (4:17.70) in the 1500m, Morgan McDonald finished second in the mile (3:55.79) and Sam McEntee who ran 3:58.41 for tenth in the same race.

Over in Italy at the Lignano Sabbiadoro meeting Olympic long jump finalist Brooke Stratton took victory with a leap of 6.41 metres (wind: +0.3).

Victoria's Jordan Williamsz finished second in the 1500m behind Kenyan runner Jonathan Kiplimo Sawe in 3:36.97 - his fourth run under 3:38 this year. Taipei-bound Uniroo Adam Pyke finished ninth in 3:41.21 which is a season's best.

Three-time national champion Brittany McGowan finished second in the 800m clocking 2:01.77 which is not too far away from the world championships qualifier of 2:01.00.

This is Jockgrim 💪🏼

A post shared by Kurtis Marschall (@kurtmarschall_) on

Melbourne Track Club middle distance runner Zoe Buckman placed sixth in 2:03.00 setting a season’s best, after posting a world championships qualifying mark over 1500m in Ostrava last month.

Pole vaulting teenager Kurtis Marschall made his second appearance on the European circuit this season at the Stabhochsprung Jockgrim meeting in Germany.

He cleared 5.45 metres in windy and rainy conditions in his first competition since setting a personal best of 5.73m in Lausanne.

Teammate Liz Parnov cleared a height of 4.20 metres in her fourth meeting overseas.