Dead heat in men’s Australian Mile Championship

22 December 2019

Dead heat in men’s Australian Mile Championship

The second rejuvenation of the Australian mile championship continued the event’s growth and it more than lived up to pre-race expectations with a dead heat in the men’s mile championship – the first at the men’s national championships for 111 years.

Held at The Crest and hosted by Bankstown Athletics Club, the combination of windy conditions, elite athletes in mixed early season form and it being a championships race, guaranteed the championships would be tactical.

Men’s Mile

From the gun the major players were in control with the lead pack comprising Princeton College’s Sam Ellis, co-favourites Rorey Hunter (NSW) and James Hansen (TAS), Callum Davies (QLD) and Jeff Riseley (VIC). Hansen led on lap one, and two. But on lap three there was some shuffling of positions behind Hansen, with Hunter now boxed in.

“I lost my position at the very wrong time (450m to go) and got caught in the mess at the bell,” noted Hunter.

“Tactically I think I have some work to do.”

With 200m to go they were now strung out, with Ellis leading from Hansen, Davies and Riseley. Hunter was nearly out of contact in fifth. But as he entered the straight, he started to hunt the leaders.

“There was a wall in-front of me and I just couldn’t get through,” Hunter said. But somehow a gap opened and he made some progress. The American hit the front, but the Australian title was still up for grabs.

“I just managed to dip and I may have got it,” Hunter said.

After a 20 minute delay, including a few reads of the photo-finish and a dismissing of an umpire’s report that Ellis had moved off his line, the Australian title was declared a dead heat between Rorey Hunter and James Hansen in a time of 4:14.60 with American Sam Ellis just ahead in 4:14.49. The national bronze medal awarded to 20-year-old Queenslander Callum Davies (4:14.87), who was a 2018 World U20 Championships finalists and recently lowered his 1500m best to 3:43.51 in winning the Zatopek 1500m.

It was just the second dead heat in a men’s Australian Championship and first since the 1907/08 season where John Davis (VIC) and Colin Stewart (NSW) dead heated in the 120yard Hurdles.

Women’s Mile

This was another tactical race, but not as pedestrian as the men’s event. On the first lap, Anna Laman (NSW) led with race favourite Jessica Hull (NSW) comfortably in second with other leading contenders, national 1500m champion Chloe Tighe (NSW) running wide and two back and Doha World Championships 1500m semi-finalists Georgia Griffith (VIC), boxed in. On lap two, the only change was Hull moved into the lead.

On lap three there were lots of moves, with five athletes moving clear. At the 500m mark, Chloe Tighe took over the lead from Hull.

“I was weary of the 800m girls and I didn’t want to leave it until the last lap. I tried to push the pace on the last lap,” recalled Tighe.

One of those 800m girls Tighe was cautious of was 2:00.13 athlete Georgia Griffith.

“I think I got lucky as it wasn’t particularly a fast race until the last lap which suits my 800m background,” Griffith said.

Also in the lead pack at the bell was Rio Olympic semi-finalists Jenny Blundell and Lauren Reid.

In another thrilling finish, Hull led with 200m to go from Blundell, Tighe and Griffith. Then Blundell started to move past Hull, while Griffith slingshot herself past the entire field to hit the home straight in command, running away for the win in 4:36.29. Tighe responded and her and Blundell passed Hull over the last 50m to claim podium places – silver - Chloe Tighe 4:37.34 and bronze - Jenny Blundell 4:37.71. Hull was a close fourth in 4:37.87.

“I was really happy with how it played out I just wanted to stay relaxed and not make any moves until the last bit,” Griffith said. It was a perfect start for the season for Griffith as 12 months ago she was battling Achilles issues and experienced in different form in January and February due lost training time.

Another returning from injury was Chloe Tighe. Post her national 1500m win last March, she returned to her teaching job in Dubai, but succumb to injury due to the challenging training surfaces. But she has put those times well past her tonight.

“Those 800m girls are pretty fast and they kicked with 200m to go but I managed to comeback.

“I’ve had a really good month of training at Falls and come back really fit. It was a little bit unexpected tonight as I wasn’t quite sure where my speed was at. I thought this was a good opportunity to get my racing legs back.”

After a long 2019, which started with indoor racing in January, Jessica Hull was easing back into competition in this race.

“I was pretty heavy in the legs,” she said. “I was just excited to get out there and run. It was a great welcome home and opportunity to run at The Crest. I now have a race under my belt in Australia. I’m now gearing up for some indoor races and will be back in Australia in March.”

For Hull, it was her first race on home soil since March 2015, and there was a familiar face around.

“I had dad with me in the warmup so it felt like old times.”

Amongst the leadup races and earlier all-comers there was some impressive performances as the season starts to really heat up.

Probably the best performance was by 20-year-old Cameron McEntyre (SYP), who launched the javelin out to 78.75m, a four metre PB and rockets him up to 15^th Australian all-time.

In the sprints, UNSW’s Leonard King destroyed his old best clocking 21.09 in the 200m. He defeated teenager Michael Hanna ILL (21.46). Hanna had earlier run a 100m PB of 10.68.

Blue Mountains 17-year-old Matilda Ryan, who just missed the World U20 Championships 800m qualifying in Perth recently, threatened the 2:06 standard again with a surprising win in 2:06.90, over the US-based second fastest ever Australian junior – Carley Thomas (UTN).

In fourth with 2:08.04, was Georgia Wassall, who was racing for the first time for nearly three years.

There was a quick sprint double for hurdler Abbie Taddeo (ILL) 11.72/23.82, with 14-year-old Novocastrian Torrie Lewis (MQH) running PBs of 11.91/24.34.

There was a 400m PB from Bec Bennett (SYU) 53.46, and 17-year-old Lianna Davidson (ASW) three 48.38m in the javelin and continues to approach the World U20 Championships standard. Another Murphy (TRI) jumper has emerged with 16-year-old Finn bounding out to 14.17m. In the women’s 20-year-old Alexandra Petersen (SYU) smashed her PB with a jump of 12.77m.

Stifling heat, and later high winds, made the conducting of nine hours of athletics very challenging yesterday, but Colin Whitbread’s band of club volunteers, supported Athletics NSW technical officials, conducted yet another very successful meet where many competition hungry athletes competed and were rewarded with good performances.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: men’s Australian mile finish (courtesy of David Tarbotton)