Olympic Goals

25 June 2021

Olympic Goals

With just days remaining before the Tokyo Olympic qualification period closes, last night at the Bankstown Winter Milers meet we saw some very brave and gallant running.

In the 3000m steeplechase Georgia Winkcup (UTN) clocked 9:40.25 in a race that was hit by heavy rain. It was her third sub 9:41 time, a level less than 10 Aussies have ever run at. The Rio Olympic standard was 9:45.00.

After some early pace in the 5000m by Izzy Thornton-Bott (UTN), Eloise Wellings (SUT) and national champion Jenny Blundell (SYU) worked together in the cool conditions. Blundell took the win in 15:31.21, her third sub-15:32 time this year, while Wellings ran 15:34.85 – her fastest time for four years.

Sara Klein (ASW) crashed the last hurdle going on to run 59.46 in the 400m hurdles. Paralympic hopeful Kyle McIntosh (SUT) clocked 4:14.92, well supported in the run by NSW mile champion Will Austin-Cray (BAN) who ran 4:15.30.

Victorian Morgan Mitchell was chasing a fitness trial standard and ran 2:03.81, significantly faster than her three runs earlier this month of 2:08, 2:05 and 2:07.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Georgia Winkcup (courtesy of David Tarbotton)