Medals up for grabs on Day 4 of the World Champs

Kelsey-Lee Barber kicks off day 4 in the Women’s Javelin (qualifying round), to get through the qualifying round, she needs to throw 63.50m and having thrown 67.70m in Luzern (SUI) earlier this year (July), she is a very good chance to get through.

Bendere Oboya is in heat 2 of the Women’s 400m and Bella O'Grady is in heat 4, both women need to be the in the first 3 of their heat or in the next 6 fastest (q) to get through to the semi-final. Bendere is up against some very good racers in her heat (Shericka Jackson JAM PB of 49.78 and Lisanne de Witte PB of 50.77), Bell is also against strong opposition, lead by Kendall Ellis (USA) and Stephanie Ann McPherson (JAM). 

Day 4 will also see Nick Hough run his heat in the 110m Hurdles and Stewart McSweyn(#kingofkinglsland) in his final of the 5000m, Genevieve Gregson in the final of the 3000m steeplechase and Matthew Denny in the final of the Discus, after his qualification distance of 65.08m was the furthest an Australian has ever thrown at major global championships..

Kelsey-Lee Barber in the Women’s Javelin at 4:30pm (11:30pm 30 Sep AEST)

Club South Canberra Tuggeranong

Event & PB: Javelin 67.70m (Luzern SWI, 9 Jul 2019)

Coach: Mike Barber

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram):  @thatjavelingirl/kelsey_roberts

International Champs & medals:

Commonwealth games (2014 bronze, 2018 silver)

Continental Cup: (2018)

World Championships (2015, 2017)

Olympics (2016)

Kelsey-Lee dreamed of being an Olympian at a young age and competed in athletics throughout high school. After moving to Canberra in 2007 she took athletics more seriously and soon had a throws coach before making her mark in open division a few years after finishing high school. “My javelin really took off in 2008 when I won the Pacific School Games in Canberra. It was after winning this that I knew it was javelin that I wanted to pursue to the highest level, the Olympics.”

She made a breakthrough in 2013, adding six metres to her personal best and reaching 58.58m. The next year she made her international debut at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games winning a bronze medal. Injuries in 2015 and 2016 (back stress fracture) hampered her 2015 World Championships and 2016 Olympics campaigns where she didn’t progress to the final. In 2017, she won her first Australian title and then in Europe improved her PB on a few occasions placing 10th in the final at the London World Championships. Set a PB of 64.57m at the Commonwealth Games trials and then at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games moved from third to second on the last throw.

After a late season start in 2019 she won the national title. Then in June & July 2019 a massive breakthrough with fourth throws over 65 metres in four weeks including 67.70m in Luzern which moved her to number two in the world for the year, number two Australian all-time and number 12 in history.

Nickname – Kels…Education - Sport Coaching and Exercise Science at University of Canberra (2010-2014)…Hobbies - Cooking and outdoor activities - hiking, rock climbing, snowboarding…Sporting ambition - Podium at the Olympics and World Championships…Memorable sporting achievement - second place at the Diamond League Final in 2017 and more recently my PB throw in Luzern in 2019….Memorable sporting moment – Commonwealth Games silver in 2018. “Using the support of the home crowd in round six to win the silver.”…Influential person – “My parents have always played a big part in allowing me to pursue my sport, but mum has been especially influential. From an early age she always encouraged me to believe in my dreams and go after them. I’m so thankful for her support day in and day out.”…Advice to your young self – “Take a moment to enjoy and appreciate the good times/special moments in your sporting journey.” Famous relatives - Uncle, Tom Murtagh - part of the special effects crew that worked on the Bond Films…Interesting facts - Moved to Australia age 9 from South Africa.

Bendere Oboya is in the Women’s 400m at 6:20pm (1:20am 31 Oct AEST)

Club: Campbelltown,

Event & PB: 400m 51.94 (Gold Coast AUS, 17 Feb 2018)

Coach: Renay Parkinson

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram): -/ _bendere

International Champs & medals:

Commonwealth Youth Games (2017 400m /4x400m gold)

Commonwealth Games (2018)

In just over 12 months Ethiopian-born Sydney teenager, Bendere Oboya improved from 75 seconds to 52.69 in the 400m to go from an unknown athlete to the 2017 Commonwealth Youth champion and record a Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games qualifier in July 2017.

In 2003, aged three, Bendere arrived in Australia with her family including four siblings. After four years in little athletics and with a 400m PB of 75 seconds, in 2016 she decided to concentrate on the 400m. Preparing to travel to the US on a school athletics tour, she wanted to run at her best, so her and her coach started working together. Within a few months, at the Combined High School (Sept 2016) athletics carnival, she broke 59 seconds for the first time. Over the summer, she continued to slash her PB to 57, then in January 55.67, NSW juniors 55.01, NSW open championships 54.14 and then 53.30 to win the title. At the national juniors in March, she ran 53.02 and was selected for her international debut at the July 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games (under-18) in Nassau in the Bahamas. She won the title in another PB 52.69, also a Commonwealth Games qualifying time. She closed the year as the second fastest under-18 in the world.

An injury in late 2017 hampered her summer season but when she commenced her season she was brilliant, first running a PB of 52.48 seconds at the NSW Championships. In mid-February at the Australian Championships and Commonwealth Games trials she placed second in another significant PB time of 51.94 seconds, which was an A qualifier and secured her automatic selection for the Games. The time made her the third fastest junior (under-20) in Australian history, behind Cathy Freeman (an Olympic champion) and Jana Pittman (a world champion).

At the Commonwealth Games she was unable to overcome a hamstring injury, not proceeding out of the heats. Compiled a very strong 2019 domestic season running a best of 52.00 seconds and claiming the national title.

Education - completed her HSC in 2017…Hero - Cathy Freeman…Hobbies - Taking photos…Nickname - Ben, B… Family - Born in Gambella in Ethiopia, she came to Australia with her family in 2003 when she was three. She has five siblings, four brothers and one sister.

Nick Hough is in the Men’s 110m Hurdles at 8:05pm (3:05am 1 Oct AEST)

Club: Sydney University Athletics Club

Event & PB: 110m Hurdles 13.38 (Gold Coast AUS, 10 Apr 2018)

Coach: Anthony Benn

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram): @nick_hough/Nick_Hough

International Champs & medals:

Youth Olympic Games (2010 110m hurdles gold, medley relay bronze)

World Juniors (2012 silver)

World Championships (2013, 2015, 2017)

World University Games (2013, 2015, 2017)

Commonwealth Games (2014, 2018 bronze)

World Indoors (2018)

World Relays (2019)

A talented junior, Nick Hough emerged in Little Athletics and GPS school athletics competition for The Kings School. He was an all-rounder, competing in sprints/hurdles, jumps and the shot put.

He made his international debut aged 16, at the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games, winning gold in the 110m hurdles. In 2012, he competed at the IAAF World Junior Championships winning silver in the 110m hurdles. In 2013, while negotiating the senior hurdle height, he ran his lifetime bests in the sprints (10.39/20.66), securing semi-final places at the World University Games. He then received a call-up to run on the national 4x100m relay at the world championships.

In 2014, he made significant progress in his preferred event, the 110m hurdles. Starting the season with a best of 13.98, he eventually took this to 13.57 for fourth in the final at the Commonwealth Games.  In 2015 he won the national title in a stunning 13.42 making him number two Australian all-time and was the fastest by an Australian for over 18 years.

At the 2015 world championships, he was run out in the heats and injury in 2016 made it difficult to qualify for Rio. In 2017 in Europe he qualified for the London world championships and was fifth in his heat. Two weeks later he competed at his third World University Games, where he placed sixth in the final.

In 2018 he was untroubled in winning his fourth national 110m hurdles title and in March competed at the IAAF World indoors in Birmingham and progressed to the semi-final just missing the national record running 7.76 in his heat. He was terrific at the Commonwealth Games claiming bronze in a PB 13.38. It was the fastest time by an Australian at the Commonwealth Games and first medal in the event for 32 years.

His mother, Sue, competed at the World University Games and father, Anthony, was a 7676-point decathlete. In mid2015 he launched ‘Gradeproof’ an app which improves your writing with better grammar and rephrasing. It is used by 700,000 people in 191 countries. In late 2015 Nick and his business partner appeared on a Chinese reality television show, The Next Unicorn. They competed against 15 global entrepreneurs.

Stewart McSweyn is in the Men’s 5000m Final at 9:20pm (4:20am 1 Oct AEST)

State: TAS

Resident: Melbourne

Event & PBs: 1500m 3:31.81 (Monaco MON, 12 Jul 2019), 5000m 13:05.23 (Brussels BEL, 31 Aug 2018)

Coach: Nic Bideau

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram): @Stewy_mac3 /stewy_mac3

International Champs & medals:

World Cross Country (2013 junior, 2017, 2019)

World University Games (2015)

Continental Cup (2018)

World Championships (2017)

Commonwealth Games (2018)

Stewart McSweyn grew up on Tasmania’s small but picturesque, King Island, located in the Bass Strait, population less than 2000. He went to school at King Island District School and ran around his family’s beef and sheep farm. He boarded at Ballarat Clarendon College from Year 7 and ran for the strong Eureka Athletics Club. Up to 14 or 15 he played cricket, tennis and AFL, but then decided to concentrate on athletics. “It was an easy choice as it was my best sport. Also I had got a few injuries in AFL.” He developed nicely under local coach Rod Griffin and cemented his love for the sport.

Most teenage years he would make nationals and occasional won a medal. Competed at the 2013 World Cross Country in the junior race and two years later at the World University Games in the 5000m. The versatile athlete competed in the steeplechase at the 2017 World Championships, but switched his focus to the 5000m and 10,000m for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Over 10 weeks from June to the end of Aug 2018 he smashed his PBs from 1500m to 5000m – 3:34.82 (1500m), 7:34.79 (3000m), 13:05.23 (5000m) & 28:05.37 (10,000). In December he won Zatopek in another PB 27:50.89.

There have been more PBs in 2019, starting early with a national indoor 1500m record of 3:35.10. Then outdoors he twice ran 3:31.81, just outside training partner Ryan Gregson’s national record. His 1500m and 5000m times made him the second fastest in Australian history. One hiccup was the 2019 World Cross Country Championships where he was ill with the flu leading into the race and could not start.

Hero – two local athletes in Ballarat when he was at school: Collis Birmingham was supportive, gave advice and allowed me to train with him. Brett Robinson - In his first year at Uni in the 2014 season, Stewart nearly given up the sport, but Brett supported and encouraged him to come to training. Other sports - cricket, tennis and AFL. Education – Secondary Teaching Uni Southern QLD (current, graduate 2021), podiatry (2 years – incomplete due to travel)… Memorable sporting moment – “Qualifying for a home Commonwealth Games with a lot of my friends and family present.”…Influence – “My Parents (Jack & Scott), Siblings (Carmen & Angus) and my coach (Nic Bideau).”…Sporting relatives - Scott McSweyn (father) Australian weightlifting representative.

Matthew Denny is in the Men’s Discus Final at 9:25pm (4:25am 1 Oct AEST)

Club: QE2 Track Club

Event & PB: Discus 65.37m (Salinas USA, 28 May 16)

Coach: Ben Thomson

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram): -/mattydenny25

Occupation: Coach & student

International Champs & medals:

World Youth Championships (2013 gold discus & bronze hammer)

World Juniors (2014)

World University Games (2015 silver discus & 2019 gold discus)

Olympics Games (2016 discus)

World Cup (2018 silver discus)

Commonwealth Games (2018 silver hammer, discus)

Matthew Denny was one of the finest junior throwers in Australian history. He dominated the record books and national title lists. He was also impressive internationally, winning the World Youth Championships discus title in 2013, followed by fourth the year after at the 2014 World Junior Championships. He also won a silver medal at the Universiade in 2015.

In April 2016, he won the national discus title with a throw of 60.47m and the hammer title with 68.44m. He became just the second athlete in the near 100 years history of the event to win the double and the first since Keith Pardon in 1953 – 63 years earlier. Determined to qualify for the 2016 Olympics he travelled twice to the US, eventually qualifying with a mark of 65.37m, moving him to fifth on the Australian all-time list. In Rio, he threw 61.16m in the qualifying round.

In 2017 he made some changes, including becoming faster and more athletic. He also worked on “addressing the situation looking past it and treat it like everything is perfect; everybody has to deal with it and get used to these things,” both in training or competition. At the Commonwealth trials in February 2018, with just 14 hours separating the hammer and discus events, he required just one valid hammer throw to claim the title and automatic CG selection and also won the discus. With selection in both events he became the second Australia athlete, and first in 68 years, to compete in both events at the Commonwealth Games, following Keith Pardon who competed in the same pair at the 1938 and 1950 Empire Games.

At the Commonwealth Games he won silver in the hammer throw with a PB 74.88m and was fourth in the discus. In 2019 he decided to focus on the discus and came close to his PB with three throws over 65m (& eight over 64m). In July he won the World University Games discus title.

Training & home: Matty lives and trains on a home-made discus circle on his family’s rural Queensland property in the village of Allora, population less than 1000. Located north of Warwick, he makes the regular 350km round trip to Brisbane and the Gold Coast for competition.  He is one of eight siblings...Hobbies – cars and guitar… Education: Business (Griffith Uni) & personal training (Cert 3 and 4)…Started athletics – At primary school in grade 1 or 2 throwing bean bags as shot puts and vortexes as javelins. “I was always interested in it but my focus as a kid until grade 8-9 was rugby league.”…Influence – brothers…Nickname – Matty.

Genevieve Gregson is in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Final at 9:50pm (4:50am 1 Oct AEST)

Event: 3000m Steeplechase 9:14.28 (Saint-Denis FRA, 27 Aug 2016)

Coach: Nic Bideau

Social Media (Twitter/Instagram): @GenGen_LaCaze/GenGen_LaCaze

International Champs & medals:

Olympic Games (2012, 2016)

Commonwealth Games (2014, 2018)

World Championships (2015, 2017) Continental Cup (2018)

As a teenager, Genevieve LaCaze won the national schools U18 3000m in 2006, before running a PB of 9:38.74 to win silver in the Zatopek U20 race.

In 2008, she commenced an athletics scholarship at the University of Florida. In her first year on the track in 2009, she ran distances from 1500m to 5000m and made her steeplechase debut with a modest 10:30.79. She qualified and ran the 5000m at the NCAA Championships. After an unspectacular 2010 US college season, she made a breakthrough in 2011 running four PBs, bringing her steeple best down to 9:59.44 and placing fifth in the NCAAs. In her final year at college (2012), she set career-best marks over 800m, 1500m, the mile, 5000m and the steeple, winning silver in the latter at the NCAA championships. She was also selected in the steeplechase for the London Olympics where she set a PB (9:37.90) but was eliminated in the heats. In 2013 and 2014, she continued to trim her bests and the highlight of her year was fifth in the steeplechase at the Commonwealth Games.

In 2016, she compiled a stunning series of performances. From May 1 to September 9, she made two Olympic finals, broke the national steeplechase record and ran 14 PBs. Maybe even more spectacular were her 27 days (13 August to 9 September) where she set five PBs (three in the Olympics) in eight races and broke the Australian record. Her Rio campaign was of the highest quality, placing ninth in the steeplechase and 12th in the 5000m finals.

Her domestic season in 2017 was highlighted by appearances for Team Australia at Nitro Athletics, where she was co-captain. In Doha, in May, she nailed the world championships steeplechase qualifier to earn her selection. Injuries, including ruptured plantar fascia, ankle problem and foot fracture curtailed any racing until August 9 when she competed in London at the 2017 World Championships. Considering her difficult preparation, her performance was terrific progressing through the heat to place 12th in the final in an excellent 9:26.25. Unfortunately, she re-fractured her fourth metatarsal and was locked in a battle to recover for the domestic season. At Christmas she resumed running, but sat out the nationals and Commonwealth Games trials. However, she was selected in the team for the Gold Coast Games, where she placed fifth. Injured during most of 2019, she made a successful last minute attempt to qualify for the 2019 World Championships running 9:37 in late August. Education - Applied Physiology and Kinesiology at University of Florida….

Nickname – Gen…Start in athletics - Began running in Year 5 and took up steeplechase in 2008 at the University of Florida…Memorable: Rio 2016 Olympic Games, making 3000m steeplechase and 5000m finals…Hero - “Eloise Wellings. She has helped me develop as an athlete but also as a person. Influence -“My parents because they supported and guided all the decisions to make sure I had every opportunity in the world to be an elite athlete. No matter what the commitment, they backed me 100 per cent. My coach Nic Bideau- He has shown so much belief and confidence in me right from the start of my professional