Rohan Browning clocks Olympic qualifier

28 March 2021

Rohan Browning clocks Olympic qualifier

Sydney sprinter Rohan browning stamped his ticket for the Tokyo Olympics on a night of many tremendous NSW performances at the Queensland Track Classic on Saturday night.

A Continental Tour silver level meet, it is the highest scoring one day meet in Oceania important for athletes hoping to qualify for the Olympics through ranking points. It is expected 50% of athletes will be selected from meeting the high standards and 50% through the rankings.

Rohan Browning (SYU) clocked an Olympic 100m qualifier and is set to become the first men’s Olympic 100m athlete for 17 years. Two years on from where he set his previous PB of 10.08, he returned to Brisbane and smoked a 10.05 100m. It equalled the automatic 100m standard of 10.05. A win at the nationals will automatically confirm his nomination to the Tokyo Olympic team.

His time makes him the third fastest in Australian history, behind Pat Johnson’s 9.93 national record and Matt Shirvington’s 10.03. Those two times are the only faster times in history by an Australian and were set overseas, making it the fastest time by an Aussie in Australia.

He also sees improvement in the future.

“I definitely felt like there were elements of that race that could be better. I definitely could have got out better. I’m always my own harshest critic.”

He has been working on technical aspects over this summer.

“I have felt it was a matter of taking one step backwards and I think I took those two steps forward today.”

The heats 90 minutes earlier sapped some energy.

“That was my best ever run and the heat was a good run even though we had three breaks and three re-starts and I was pretty cooked by the time I got running in the heat.”

Brandon Starc enjoyed his best competition of the summer, clearing 2.29m and making some good atempts at an Olympic standard of 2.33m.

Liz Clay (SYU) was untroubled in winning the 100m hurdles in 12.98. Abbie Taddeo (ILL) was third with 13.13 and teenager Imogen Breslin (MIN) sixth in 13.66.

It was another terrific race between the two Nick’s in the 110m hurdles. Nick Hough (SYU) has well and truly avenged the one lost to Nick Andrews, taking the race in Brisbane in his fastest time for three year – 13.51. Nick Andrews’ time of 13.59 was a 0.07 seconds PB for him too - he remains number six Australian all-time.

Over coming a hectic schedule of two races in two cities, Bendere Oboya (UTN) overhauled Ellie Beer (Q) in the final stages of the 400m to win in 52.26. Bella O’Grady (UTN) continued her comeback running 54.17.

Dani Stevens (WES) was over 60 metres with all her valid five throws, highlighted by her opener of 62.22m.

The men’s steeplechase was one of the fastest in Australian history, helped significantly by James Nipperess (SYU) who selflessly paced much of the event. He placed second and was rewarded with breaking his now 5-year-old PB of 8:31.97. Five of the top-six athletes set PBs, including fifth placed Joe Burgess (SYU) who took nine seconds off his best clocking 8:49.74. In fourth was Bankstown’s Ed Trippas who has found some form, after his nine plus minutes NSW title win. Trippas clocked 8:36.58 and could now challenge his surprise PB of 8:33.90 set two years ago in college in America. The nationals will be an amazing race amongst the four.

All season Josh Azzopadi (CMD) has been quietly working away under coach Rob Marks at Camden. After starting the season with a 200m PB of 21.42, he has run lifetime bests of 21.26, 21.03, 20.95 and now 20.90 to win in Brisbane.

Three athletes achieved additional World U20 Championships qualifiers. Matilda Ryan (BLM) broke her PB clocking 2:05.07 ind a very high quality race. In the javelin, Liana Davidson (ASW) nailed her third qualifier with a throw of 51.61m on her opening effort. Ahead of pacing duties in the men’s 800m, Joshua Atkinson (HIL) just missed his PB running 47.26 in the 400 metres.

Teenager Sam Dale (CHE) took a step-up in the long jump adding 10cm to her PB, leaping 6.32m.

Expecting to be a fast race, the men’s 400m was rather slow. Ian Halpin (BAN) was first NSW athlete across the line in 47.18, ahead of Tyler Gunn (GOS) in fourth with 47.21

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Rohan Browning clocking 10.05 seconds (courtesy of David Tarbotton)