Tokyo Preview - NSW Track Athletes

The following article is adapted from Lachlan Moorehouse & Athletics Australia's "Track Events Preview | Tokyo Olympics"
For the full article, see the AA article here

It goes without saying that you should watch every Australian athlete at the Tokyo Olympics, but if you are short for time here are some of the key events that you won't want to miss. 

MEN’S 1500M: 

An event touted as one of the showdowns of the prgoram, the men’s 1500m battle features three Australians – Stewart McSweyn (Nic Bideau), Oliver Hoare (Dathan Ritzenhein) and Jye Edwards (Dick Telford).

McSweyn has emerged as a genuine medal contender after a rapid rise to stardom on the global stage, crushing national records across a wide range of distances and regularly mixing it with the world’s best athletes. Notably, the King Island product recently became the first Australian to break the 3:30 barrier over 1500m when running 3:29.51 at the Monaco Diamond League. Just one week earlier he ran 3:48.37 at the Oslo Dream Mile – the fastest time worldwide since 2014.

Some are quick to point out that Olympic 1500m bouts are traditionally slow with a fast finish, not suiting McSweyn’s skillsets – but it would be naïve to assume that the front-running Australian will simply watch on helplessly as the medals escape his grasp. Kenya’s Timothy Cheryuiot and Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen like to race aggressively, increasing the likelihood that the race will defy the typical Olympic trend.

Hoare holds an outdoor 1500m personal best of 3:33.19, but most exciting for Australian athletics fans is his ability to race. Regardless of the way races unfold, Hoare finds a way to feature in the finish – highlighted by his second place in the 1500m at the Gateshead Diamond League when beating McSweyn.

The 24-year-old has not raced since May, opting to piece together a strong training block ahead of his Olympic debut.

Edwards rounds out the trio as a 3:33.23 man, but his mile time of 3:49.27 suggests the Canberra product may have a bit more to give. The 23-year-old has demonstrated a strong closing ability to win races which saw him emerge as one of the surprise packets of the domestic season.

WOMEN’S 1500M:

Linden Hall became the first Australian woman in history to shatter the four-minute barrier when running 3:59.67 earlier this year to reclaim her Australian record. On that occasion, Hall ran solo for the back end of the race on a low-key night at Box Hill – suggesting she may be capable of more.

Hall narrowly missed the final in Rio and finished in fourth place at the 2018 Commonwealth Games – a record she will be looking to set straight in Tokyo as she approaches the Games in the form of her life. The 30-year-old also registered an Olympic qualifying 800m time of 1:59.22 in her preparation, but says she is “all-in” on the 1500m.

Jessica Hull (Pete Julian) opted not to run the 5000m, instead choosing to focus on the 1500m – seeing the event as her best chance in Tokyo. Hull recently clocked the third fastest time in Australian history in her final hit-out before the Games, running 4:00.72 to fall narrowly short of her 4:00.42 personal best.

The 24-year-old’s talent is no secret after her 2020 rampage in which she broke 1500m, 3000m and 5000m national records in the space of one month – establishing herself as one of Australia’s brightest middle-distance athletes.  

Georgia Griffith (Stephen Ellinghaus) defied the odds to qualify for her first Olympic Games and will join the Hall and Hull combo in the women’s 1500m. Griffith has struggled with injury in the lead up to the Games but is a class act when fit and rolling.

MEN’S 800M: 

The Justin Rinaldi coached duo of Peter Boland Jeff Riseley will line up alongside compatriot Charlie Hunter (Ben Thomas) in a stacked men’s 800m field for the Australians, with all three men securing the Olympic standard of 1:45.20 with ease.  

Athletics fans can appreciate how hard it is to run 1:44 over 800m on Australian soil – Bol did it twice in a week in June when registering times of 1:44.88 and 1:44.62 to become the fastest Australian in history on home soil. At the Gateshead Diamond League, Bol finished in third place when taking the scalps of many of the rivals he will compete against in Tokyo.

Hunter came within reach of Joseph Deng’s 1:44.21 national record when running 1:44.35 in a last-ditch effort to qualify for the Olympics, ending a string of near misses. The Oregon University product is starting to reap the rewards of consistent training and racing in the NCAA system, with an Olympic berth a dream come true for the 25-year-old.

Riseley lines up for his fourth Olympic Games – an incredible feat in its own right. The seasoned-veteran has a season’s best of 1:44.85 at 34-years-old and will be looking to navigate the traditionally tricky first round of the 800m with his Australian teammates.

MEN’S 100M: 

The blue ribband event at the Olympic Games to crown the title of the “world’s fastest man” always generates much anticipation, but even more so this year for Australians with Rohan Browning (Andrew Murphy) on the scene.

Browning’s illustrious 2021 started with a windy 9.96 in January, before he clocked a personal best of 10.05 in March to qualify for his first Olympic Games. There has been no slowing him down since, with the 23-year-old registering a series of exceptional times despite being unchallenged by his domestic foes.

With racing company from the fastest men on the planet, coupled with supreme sprinting conditions in Japan – Browning is confident he can run under 10-seconds and challenge Patrick Johnson’s 9.93 Australian record.

If he can do so, he will find himself deep into the rounds of the 100m at an Olympic Games – with the last Australian man to make an Olympic 100m final Hec Hogan in 1956.

WOMEN’S 3000M STEEPLECHASE: 

Genevieve Gregson (Nic Bideau) has endured a challenging few years with injury to earn her third Olympic tracksuit, appearing in Tokyo in career-best shape.

Gregson presents sharp with races under her belt, the most recent of those a 9:17.81 over the 3000m steeplechase – the second fastest time in Australian history behind her own 9:14.28 national record. Boasting one decade of international experience, the 31-year-old is a strong chance to improve on her ninth place finish in Rio.

Amy Cashin (Sean Cleary) will also toe the line after nailing the Olympic standard with a 9:28.60 performance in June. The run was a 15-second personal best for the Cashin, with the US-based Australian forcing her way onto her maiden Olympic team where she can be expected to improve once again.  

Georgia Winkcup (Ben Liddy) fills Australia’s quota in the event possessing a season’s best of 9:39.27 despite a troublesome few years with various injuries, entering personal best territory on the eve of the Games.

WOMEN’S 4X400M:

A squad of Bendere Oboya (John Quinn), Kendra Hubbard (John Nicolosi), Ellie Beer(Brett Robinson), Anneliese Rubie-Renshaw(Peter Fortune), Angie Blackburn (Adrian Faccioni) has been assembled for the women's 4x400m - one that is looking like having a successful campaign. 

Whilst Oboya and Rubie-Renshaw have been staples at the top of the Australian women's 400m rankings, Hubbard's recent personal best of 52.23 and 18-year-old Beer's best of 52.53 will be welcomed additions to the team along with Blackburn's 52.71. 

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 29/07/2021