WEEKEND REVIEW | NATIONAL RECORDS CONTINUE TO TUMBLE

WEEKEND REVIEW | NATIONAL RECORDS CONTINUE TO TUMBLE

September 25 is a date that has been etched into the Australian athletics landscape since Cathy Freeman won gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 - but Stewart McSweyn and Jessica Hull have added to its rich history by setting new national records 20 years on.

The records came at the Doha Diamond League overnight where six Australians competed.

Fresh off bettering Craig Mottram’s 3000m Australian national record when running 7:28.02 in Rome, Stewart McSweyn toed the line in the 1500m.

The King Island native was confident - and it showed.

McSweyn assumed the box seat behind the pacemakers from the gun and never looked back.

The 25-year-old’s racing style has been admirable in 2020 - dictating his own fate by racing aggressively and leaving nothing to chance.

The first lap split of 54.05 seconds left McSweyn with a buffer over the classy field - one that he would only extend.

The following two laps were recorded as 57.55 and 57.54 seconds respectively, with McSweyn passing through the 1200m mark at 2:49.14.

A blistering final 300m in which McSweyn was completely solo saw him clock 3:30.51 - breaking Ryan Gregson’s Australian national record from 2010 which stood at 3:31.06.

The time also ensured a commanding victory for the Australian who continues to excel on the world stage.

The national record is the fourth McSweyn has added to his name - already securing the 3000m and 10,000m outdoor records, along with the 1500m indoor record.

This makes him the first Australian man to ever hold the 1500m, 3000m and 10,000m national records simultaneously.

“I came in knowing I was in good shape,” he said.

“That’s why I got right on the pace because I like running to find out how good I am and not worrying too much about other people.”

McSweyn’s recent performances gave him the confidence to flourish in Doha.

“Any race you lead in such a high quality field you are always going to have guys hunting you,” he said.

“I was making sure I held it together because I knew even if I slipped up 2 per cent I was going to get caught by that whole second pack.

“I just had to keep hammering once the pace dropped out and I was able to execute that.”

Records are a nice bonus for McSweyn - who has far greater plans.

“The Olympics is the big one every four years,” he said.

“I’ll train through the Australian domestic season to get ready for Tokyo next year because I know I’ve still got to get a lot better if I want to be right around the medals in Tokyo.

“I’ve got to train maybe 5 per cent harder and keep adding to what I’ve done and try to get a little bit better for next year.”

In 2016 Gregson became the first Australian man in 40 years to make the final of the men’s 1500m at an Olympic Games - making him a useful mentor for McSweyn.

The fact that Gregson was in the race in which his national record was broken after 10 years is testament to his abilitiy and longevity.

The 30-year-old clocked 3:37.75 to finish in twelfth place, concluding another season at the elite level in which he held his own.

Jessica Hull continued her emergence on the world stage in a 3000m race of supreme quality.

The 23-year-old has had a tremendous season - notably claiming the 1500m and 5000m Australian national records.

With the 3000m sitting between these two marks, talks of another national record ensued.

But Hull still had to execute if she was to take down Benita Willis’ 2003 record of 8:38.06 - and she did just that.

The race featured 16 women who all have major championship medals or either world or national records to their name - including Hull and Genevieve Gregson.

Hull has proven in 2020 that she belongs in the leading group of women in the world when it comes to middle distance running - and that’s where she placed herself from the gun.

Hull passed through 1000m in 2:48 and 2000m in 5:40.

The lead group poured the pressure on over the final kilometre and appeared to break Hull, who showed pure grit to fight her way into finishing in tenth place - securing a new national record of 8:36.03 in the process.

Hull is welcoming of such strong competition.

“I want to keep competing and I want to keep finishing higher and higher,” she said.

“Now I know I can finish in the top handful with these women, I am backing myself in to be in it and not just thinking about times and records but to be competitive at the top level.”

The feat is the fourth addition to Hull’s haul of national records - which now includes the 1500m, 3000m, 5000m outdoor records, along with the 1500m indoor record.

Gregson ran 9:07.40 in the same race in which she was left to run solo after the stacked field charged on.

Peter Bol ran 1:45.74 in the 800m which was paced by fellow Australian Joseph Deng.

Bol jostled for position early before being shuffled to the rear of the field - but his recovery from there was tremendous.

Despite being in tenth place with 200m to run, Bol stormed home to finish in fourth place.

His season’s best stands at 1:44.96 in Monaco - but his final 200m in Doha showed encouraging signs leading into 2021.

Prior to pacing the 800m, Deng competed in the 1500m ‘B’ event.

Deng finished in third place in his non-favoured event - stopping the clock at 3:47.39 in a race that was not aided by an ambitious early pace.

You can catch up on all the action from Doha here:

Coverage- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_972CTMvr8U
Results- https://bit.ly/3i1Za1H

By: Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 26 September 2020