Morgan McDonald earns suprise World Champs selection

A college student trying his hand at an international season on Friday, a member of Team Australia at the IAAF World Championships on Saturday.

That’s the story of Morgan McDonald (NSW) after the 21-year-old business and finance student clocked an eight-second personal best of 13:15.83 in the men’s 5000m to stake his claim for London 2017 selection on the penultimate day of the qualification period.

“It’s surreal to be here. It feels like yesterday that I was watching the world championships on TV and dreaming that one day I will be there. It feels like it has happened so quickly, I’m a little overwhelmed but I’m enjoying it,” McDonald said.

McDonald bit the bullet and chose to chase the IAAF qualification standard after confident racing in America saw him win the mile at the Festival of Miles in St Louis (USA) ahead of narrowly missing the qualifier over 5000m at the Portland Track Festival.

“I did quite a few races in the U.S and then decided that I was going to go to Europe to try and chase the (5000m) time and it has been amazing. I ran a mile in Dublin, which was fun, and it was a PB then made the move to London to base there before the race in Belgium on the weekend. That obviously went very well, and it’s just been a great time and seeing the results which is awesome,” McDonald added.

Now ranked sixth for the men’s 5000m on the Australian All-Time List, the distance running charge from the Randwick Botany Harriers is determined to relish an experience that could see him face-off with home town favourite and Olympic champion Mo Farah (GBR).

“I’m hoping to take as much as I can out of this experience. I want to build from here and keep making teams. If nothing else, I’m just excited to race in London.,” McDonald said.

“I’ve never raced Mo Farah before and if he is in my heat it will be so interesting. Everyone will be there to watch him, it would be pretty cool to line up against him in front of a home crowd. The atmosphere would be amazing.”

McDonald was raised in Sydney (NSW) attending the Newington School and gradually built in confidence as an athlete after competing for Australia as a junior at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

In 2014, he placed 10th in the boy’s 5000m at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Eugene (USA), then relocated permanently to study at the University of Wisconsin.

“I love studying in Wisconsin. I’ve been there for three years and I couldn’t ask for more. It’s a great place to study, the school is awesome, and it’s been great for my sport as well,” McDonald said.

“Competing as part of a team is such a good thing, it motivates you to keep working hard. It’s a very positive atmosphere at my school and you’re working and racing for those around you. It has taken me to the next level, and to have your athlete family around you all the time is pretty special.”

McDonald will be one of three men to start in the men’s 5000m at London 2017, with Patrick Tiernan (Qld) and Sam McEntee (WA) also set to don the green and gold. Stewart McSweyn (Tas) also qualified for the event, but misses out on a start due to IAAF rules that dictate a maximum of three athletes per nation.

Team Australia also features Peter Bol (Vic) in the men’s 800m and Ryan Gregson (NSW) and Luke Mathews (Vic) in the men’s 1500m, with McDonald confident in the developing strength of Australian distance running as the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast (Qld) fast approach. “Australian distance running is headed in the right direction. So many of the boys that I made junior teams with are coming through now, we are tight knit and we have been friends for so many years now,” McDonald declared.

“We’re starting to get to that level where we challenge each other for team selection and having to race for a spot is seeing everyone step up. We are going to keep pushing each other to new heights and that’s great for everyone.”

McDonald has now made his way to the Team Australia Preparation Camp at the Tonbridge School, training alongside his distance running compatriots Brad Milosevic (NSW, marathon) and Jack Colreavy (NSW, marathon), Madeline Hills (NSW, 5000m, 10,000m) and Linden Hall (Vic, 1500m) among others.

Team Australia will make their way to the host city of London (GBR) on 1 August, with competition at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to commence on 4 August.

The green and gold squad is currently 48-strong, with the IAAF Roll Down Process set to deliver the selection of further Australian athletes in the coming days.