World Championships – NSW Review Days 5-10: Starc sixth
Published Mon 07 Oct 2019
7 Oct 2019
World Championships – NSW Review Days 5-10: Starc sixth
After a challenging year Brandon Starc placed a tremendous sixth, while there were a host of other outstanding performances by the NSW members of the national team particularly Sarah Carli, Bendere Oboya and Jessica Hull, in the steamy Doha conditions during the last six days of competition at the IAAF World Championships.
After the heights of 2018, Brandon Starc started 2019 with an injury, but rallied late in the year with two 2.30m clearances. In Doha, he needed two attempts at 2.24m, three at 2.27m, but then nailed 2.30m on the first.
“I got a half decent one and thought I was on it a bit more, but I didn’t hit another one, which was quite a bummer,” he told Jacquelin Magnay of The Australian.
But he would progress no further missing his 2.33m attempts and settling for sixth place, the highest by an Australian in this event for at a Global Champs (Worlds/Olympics) for 24 years, since 1995.
Jessica Hull arrived here in form after clocking Olympic qualifiers recently over 1500 and 5000 metres. She was comfortably through her 1500m heat, but in the semi-final she was bumped around missing the final by one place and 0.28 seconds, clocking a PB 4:01.80 to place 13th overall. It was another Olympic qualifier for her.
“There was a bit of contact which I wasn’t expecting, but that is 1500m running,” she told Let’s Run.
“My aim at the beginning of the year was to make the semi, but as things have gone on and I’ve done some things I didn’t think I was ready for I was aiming a bit higher.
“But at the end of the day I have to remember I’m just 22 and I’ve just come out of college.
“A PB and the experience I’ve gained - I couldn’t really ask for more except maybe to be in the final on Saturday. But I’m really satisfied and I will take the next week to ‘take in’ what I’ve done.”
Asked if a sub-four minute 1500m was her goal next season?
“If I can stay healthy, it is definitely up there on my list. I guess also the 15 minutes now,” she said, referring to the 5000m.
Also from the NSW south coast, Sarah Carli’s performance in the 400m hurdles was breathtaking. She comfortably qualified for the second round where she stepped it up to placed seventh in her semi-final and rank 16th overall in a fabulous PB of 55.43 seconds. It moved her up two places on the Australian all-time list to fifth. In the last 31 years at a global meet (World Champs or Olympics) only world champion Jana Pittman and 12-time national champion Lauren Boden have placed higher
“They were probably the two cleanest races I’ve had all season in regards to my hurdling and stride pattern,” said Carli.
She revealed a surprise about her senior international debut.
“We actually trialled a new stride pattern at the world champs so I’m also relieved I was able to nail it first go. It’s a great feeling to be in a race where everyone is faster than you and you are able to get dragged around with them.”
She also just missed the Tokyo Olympic qualifier of 55.40.
“As the times were coming up across the board I knew it was going to be fast and I might sneak under (the Olympic standard). But when the girl who placed just in front of me came up with 55.38 I knew then I had just missed it. At first I was a little frustrated being just off the Olympic Qual, but after reflecting I’m extremely happy that I was able to execute both my heat and final as we planned,” she said.
Sarah Carli also reflected on her time in Doha.
“I think it’s been great! I love the heat, so the weather here hasn’t really concerned me too much (maybe just a little less humidity). The architecture of all the buildings are amazing, so different to anything we have back home. Uber’s are so cheap too so that’s how we’ve been getting around. It’s kind of weird, because of the heat there’s no one around outside during the day. Then at 11pm there’s people everywhere. As this is my first world champs I don’t have anything to compare it to so I think everything has been awesome.”
Michelle Jenneke progressed to her third consecutive 100m hurdles semi at a world championships clocking her fastest time for 3.5 years, running 12.98 in her heat. It was also her seventh sub-13 seconds time.
“I’m really happy with that,” she told Athletics Australia. “To run under 13 second and make the semi-final is amazing. You feel disappointed when you come seventh in your heat, but I knew it was really fast.”
In the semi-final on the last day of competition, Michelle ran 13.09 to place seventh.
In the post-Sally Pearson era, she was one of two athletes to make the semis and three in the event.
“It is really incredible we have three girls here and they all ran really well.”
Why does she consider we have such terrific depth?
“I think it has come down to the example Sally Pearson has led, but also that we are racing each other week-in-week-out and pushing each other.”
In her 400m semi-final Bendere Oboya ran another outstanding 400m, clocking 51.58 to place seventh. She was the highest placed teenager in the semi-finals and finished 13th overall. It was the second time under her old PB. Nick Hough matched his heat time, of 13.60, running 13.61 in the 110m hurdles semi-final. His overall place of 21st was the highest by an Australian in this event for 20 years – since 1999.
Steve Solomon ran quicker in his 400m semi clocking his fastest time for 16 months recording 45.54. In the 400m hurdles, Oceania champion, Sara Klein placed seventh in her heat in a good time of 56.97 – her third fastest of her career - a time that would have been a PB at the start of the year.
NSW had two members of each the men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams that unfortunately didn’t proceed out of the heats.
Bendere Oboya led the women’s team off running a fantastic split of 51.8, while Rebecca Bennett anchored the team in a flying 51.8, equal to about 52.5 out of blocks. The team placed fifth in their heat and 10th overall in 3:28.64. It was the 20th fastest time in Australian history and the fastest by an Australian foursome for 18 months - since the Commonwealth Games. The ages of Bendere 19, and Rebecca at 20, along with Queenslander Ellie Beer, 16, made it a very young team.
“Every girl ran so strong so really proud of them,” said Bendere.
“Running tonight was an incredible experience,” said Rebecca. “The crowd was packed and the noise the crowd was making was a motivator.”
In the men’s 4x400m relay they placed seventh in their heat in 3:05.49. Steve Solomon got them underway with a 45.4 split out of blocks, while Ian Halpin anchored in 47.3. Australia were ranked 14th overall.
“I thought I got out well and we tried to keep speed through the baton,” said Steve who highlighted how tough the race was. “It is a reminder about world championship racing. It is impossible to replicate the pressure, intensity and venom that the guys have.”
“There were a lot of distractions out there and being a first timer there is only one way to tackle it and get out there and try to get it done,” said Ian Halpin.
David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Sarah Carli (courtesy of Getty Images)
