Just milliseconds the different at World Championships

1 Oct 2019

Just milliseconds the different at World Championships

A margin of 0.005 seconds or 5 milliseconds was the different in Nick Hough progressing to the semi-finals of the 110m hurdles, while for the second consecutive world championships, Morgan McDonald has missed the 5000m final by less than half a second in a race lasting over 13 minutes. While in the women’s events Bendere Oboya and Paige Campbell have been outstanding.

Sydney teenager Bendere Oboya (CBT) has run the fastest time by an Australian women for 15 years to successfully progress to the 400m semi-finals in Doha. Oboya took 0.73 second off her best to clock 51.21 and move to number eight in Australian history. Not since world hurdle champion Jana Pittman ran 50.93 in 2004, has an Australian run that fast. Oboya also ran a Tokyo Olympic qualifier and her time ranks he seventh fastest in the heats. She also just missed Cathy Freeman’s Australian under-20 record (51.14), but takes Pittman’s NSW junior record of 51.76.

Competing at his fourth consecutive world championships, Nick Hough (SYU) has qualified for the 110m hurdles semi-finals by 0.0005 seconds. Both he and Hungary’s Valdó Szucs clocked 13.60 seconds, but when examining their times to a thousand of a second they were given 13.592 for Hough and 13.597 for Szucs.

Hough becomes the first Australian in 22 years, since 1997, to qualify for the semis.

However, Morgan McDonald (RBH) was not so fortunate. In London in 2017 he missed qualification for the 5000m final by two places and 0.37 seconds in his heat. In Doha, he has missed qualification by one place and 0.34 seconds. He had placed seventh in his heat in a time of 13:26.80.

Returning from injury to run in Doha, Paige Campbell (SYU) was impressive running a PB time of 9:44.80 to place eight in her heat.

“The race was an amazing experience, really good stadium and atmosphere,” said Campbell.

Being in a race with a large field around her was a different mexperience.

“The crowded nature and pack that formed in the first few laps was certainly challenging with the hurdles as it’s not something we can practice in Australia. It was also very rough!”

One wonders what she could have run, if not for injury in the lead up?

“I’m proud of my performance and feel I can use the race as a platform to build my Australian summer from.”

She remains at number eight on the Australian all-time list.

Central Coast’s Nicola McDermott (SYU) had a good shot at qualification for the high jump final. She compiled a clean sheet through first attempt clearances at 1.80m, 1.85m and 1.89m, but missed her attempts at 1.92m. Eventually a first round clearance at 1.92m had been required to progress.

Other NSW athletes in action during the first four days were:

Bella O'Grady (UTN) 400m – 8th heat 54.99

Carley Thomas (UTN) 800m – 5th heat 2:04.65

Rohan Browning (SYU) 100m – 6th heat 10.40 (-0.8)

Alysha Burnett (CHE) High Jump – 15th qual 1.70m

Georgia Winkcup (UNSW) 3000m Steeple – 13th heat 9:50.21

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Bendere Oboya (Getty Images)