Liddy’s Night

8 February 2021

Liddy’s Night

As a coach not every day is ideal and Ben Liddy knows that, but Saturday night at the NSW 5000m championships was special for the lower North Shore-based middle-distance coach.

“You never want to get too excited or too down as another emotion is just around the corner, so I’ll enjoy tonight, but get ready for the next competition,” said Liddy with measured reflection on a special evening of athletics.

Nicknamed Lids, his squad train under the title of the physio practice where he is a director – Central Performance. On Saturday night four athletes Lachlan Raper, Nicola Hogg, Izzy Thornton-Bott and Ben Quinn won their races and/or set a significant PB, but it was the fifth winner, Kate Spencer, in the women’s 5000m, which was particularly rewarding for Lids. He reflected on what it meant to him.

“Very very special and very unexpected, obviously Jenny pulled out, but to see Kate back to her best and up front in races, healthy and loving her running is just really special and that meant a lot,” he said.

It was Kate Spencer’s second win in this race, the first in 2014 as an 18-year-old.

“It is so good to be back,” said Spencer. “It is three or four years since I’ve run a good race. It is great to be getting up there again.

“I had six months or a year of injuries and time off, then I realised I really love running and I found a coach (Ben Liddy) that suited my needs and the squad have been a massive help and so supportive. They are all really good athletes themselves.”

Lids’ tremendous evening had started earlier when Lachlan Raper achieved a breakthrough in the 800m. The 2018 World U20 Championships competitor had been stuck in the 1:49s, running them on six occasions, but yesterday was a major breakthrough.

“It feels so good, I’m lost for words,” said Raper. “I think a lot of it was the squad, I doubted myself that I could get back up, I never thought about quitting or stopping and I think that is because of the coaching. Ben Liddy always believed in me.”

In fourth was another athlete from Central Performance Ben Quinn, who ran a PB 1:49.55.

Just 15 minutes later, training partners in Lids’ squad Izzy Thornton-Bott and 17-year-old Nicola Hogg went one-two in the 1500m, with Thornton-Bott clocking 4:22.73 and Hogg a four seconds PB time of 4:22.90.

Lids’ summed up his night.

“This has been one of the best nights, seeing Locky have a big breakthrough and Kate, Nicola, Izzy and Quinn run well. It has been a great night, but to see Kate comeback after all her disruptions and injuries is awesome.”

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Ben Liddy and member of his squad – Central Performance (image courtesy David Tarbotton)