Further Information
Competition Stats
AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS:
800 metres: 2004 - 6th (U20), 2006 - 3rd (open) 1st (U20),
2007 - 8th, 2008 - 1st, 2009 - 2nd
INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
World junior championships: 2006 - 800m 3rd semi
(1:48.26), 4 x 400m DQ heat
World University Games: 2007 - 800m 5th heat
(1:48.92)
Olympic Games: 2008 – 800m 6th heat
(1:49.19)
ANNUAL PROGRESSION:
800
metres:
2004 1.52.64
2005 1.50.63
2006 1.47.00
2007 1.47.06
2008 1.45.79
EVENTS/PERSONAL BESTS:
400 metres: 47.75 - Gold Coast, 26/09/07
800 metres: 1.45.79 - Melbourne, 21/02/08
Interesting Facts
Lachlan commenced Little Athletics at under- 8s and won the Greater
Public Schools open 800m title as a Year 9 student at Sydney
Grammar.
Sporting Career
Though no stranger to middle distance, Lachlan’s improvement has
been rapid.
In January 2006 he became a sub-1.50 runner, slicing almost three
seconds off his personal best in a major breakthrough. He finished
third at the open nationals and won his first Under 20 title but
missed selection for the Commonwealth Games.
He competed at the world junior championships in Beijing in August
2006, setting a new best of 1:47.00 in his heat. He was out-muscled
in the semi's, finishing third in that race, 10th overall and
just missing the final.
His run in the heat was the fastest time by an Australian for the
year, the quickest by an Australian in three years and the best by
an Australian junior in more than a decade.
Lachlan’s 2006-07 season brought mixed results. Sixth at the
Telstra A Series in Melbourne, he won his heat at the Australian
Championships but, unfortunately, fell in the final and finished
eighth.
Joining a development tour of the west coast of the USA in April
and May, Lachlan won impressively at the Payton Jordan Invitational
at Stanford University and the Mt Sac Relays in Walnut, finished
second at the Oregon Invitational and added third at the Modesto
Relays.
Selected for the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand, he
finished fifth in his heat and didn’t progress to the
semi-finals.
Fifth place at the IAAF Golden League meet in Zurich followed, as
did a win in Rovereto, Italy, and second place at the Australian
University Games over 400m concluded the year.
Lachlan continued to impress during the 2007-08 domestic season. An
Olympic B-qualifier at the Canberra Athletics Classic followed by a
PB and Olympic A-qualifier (1:45.79) at the Melbourne IAAF
World Athletics Tour saw Lachlan enter the national championships
as favourite. Lachlan did not disappoint, completing his domestic
season with victory in the 800 metres at the national championships
and a ticket to Beijing.
In a heat stacked with the world's best - including reigning
Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy (RUS) and former world indoor
champion Wilson Bungei - Lachlan placed sixth on debut at the
Olympic Games (1:49.19). Lachlan is a member of the Target 2012
squad.