Twilight Trial as Battle for Belgrade Heats Up | Australian Cross Country Selection Trial
Published Wed 28 Feb 2024
A picturesque evening at Stromlo Forest will set the scene for the nation’s top distance runners this Friday, as the Australian Cross Country Selection Trials open a double header of athletics action in Canberra, with athletes striding towards selection for the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia next month.
The twilight trials have attracted both established and rising stars to the renowned running circuit, with a host of international representatives eyeing another berth in the green and gold on March 30 – building on the momentum of a home edition in 2023 as the World Cross Country Championships landed in Bathurst.
The Men’s 10km looms as the most competitive event on the program, with the grueling battle of endurance and speed seeing Olympic marathoner Liam Adams (Ken Hall) drop down in distance to take on the likes of Andre Waring (Steve Dinneen), Seth O’Donnell (Collis Birmingham) and Edward Marks (Collis Birmingham).
An eight-time Australian representative at the discipline on the world stage, Adams will fancy his chances of booking his ticket to Belgrade with a trademark aggressive performance, while 2023 World Cross Country representative Waring will be out to recreate the form that carried him to silver at December’s Australian 10,000m Championships.
Haftu Strintzos (Craig Mottram) impressed alongside Josh Phillips (Matthew Valeriani) and Marks at the Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne and will use his NCAA racing experience to his advantage, while 2022 Australian champion O’Donnell will keep the pace honest, and Tim Vincent (Jackson Elliot) remains one to watch after 1:02:01 half marathon personal best earlier this month.
Despite a small field of 12, the Women’s 10km is set to be a fierce battle at the front as Australian representatives Caitlin Adams (Adam Didyk), Sarah Klein (Peter Schuwalow) and Melissa Duncan spearhead the chase for the top-two automatic selections.
A dual Australian representative in 2023 at the World Cross Country Championships and World Road Running Championships, Adams finished fourth in the Australian 10,000m Championships in December, before opening her 2024 campaign at the Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne.
On that occasion, the South Australian was taken down by Duncan who clocked 15:52.30 for 5000m, while Maudie Skyring (Craig Mottram) topped them both with a new personal best of 15:25.24 to make the World Cross Country Championships a genuine option.
Paige Campbell (Dick Telford) impressed with silver at her return to racing at the New South Wales 5000m Championships, staking her claim to return to the green and gold after finishing in 29th place at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships in Asrhus, Denmark.
Strong entries of both quality and quantity in the junior ranks reflect the success of last year’s edition of the championships held on Australian soil, as rising stars continue to target the discipline as a pathway to the world stage.
In the Under 20 Men’s 8km, Jack Coomber (Jayden Russ) will have the field on high alert after announcing himself at last year’s trials to claim third place and automatic selection to his international debut, this time returning with a target on his back after a breakthrough season.
A 14:10.37 man over 5000m on the track, Coomber will have his work cut out for him in the form of Commonwealth Youth Games representative Ky Hehir (Matthew Ramsden) who possesses the strength to make his mark on the race, while a challenge will also come from teammate Seth Mahony (Jayden Russ).
The Under 20 Women’s 6km features two athletes who donned the green and gold at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships, with Gabrielle Schmidt (Kerry Schreiber) and Charli-Rose Carlyon (Suzi Graves) coming up against new challengers in the form of Madison King (Tim O’Shaughnessy) and Isabella Harte (Brian Chapman).
In what is set to be an open affair, the race will inevitably unearth a rising crop of names bound for Belgrade.
Full entry lists and timetable for the 2024 Australian Cross Country Selection Trial can be found HERE. The March 1 meet will be followed by the 2024 Chemist Warehouse Canberra Track Classic on March 2, with tickets available HERE.
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 28/2/2024