05.10.2006

'Buster' Mottram returns home for a well-earned break

Craig �Buster� Mottram returned home yesterday (Wednesday) for a well-earned break after an outstanding domestic and international season.

With five personal bests, three Australian records and a world road best to his name, the 26-year-old can�t wait to relax and spend some valuable time with his family and friends.

After breaking Simon Doyle�s twelve-year-old 2000m Australian record back at the Melbourne Telstra A-series meet in March and an intense Commonwealth Games campaign, the World Championship bronze medallist headed off to tackle the European season.

After setting a new Australian 3000m record in Liege, Belgium in July, the long season and Commonwealth Games hangover took its tole in August with disappointing results in London, Zurich, Monaco and Brussels.

With renewed energy and focus, the famous 3000m win against Bekele at the IAAF World Cup in Athens was that much more special.

"The Commonwealth Games at the MCG was a highlight of the year for me and to finish off the season with two fantastic performances over the last month is great," said Mottram at a press call in Melbourne that attracted a large media contingent at the famous �Tan Track�.

Many sports fans formed the view that Mottram would have been disappointed with his Commonwealth Games campaign, after finishing second to Choge in the 5000m (12:58.19) and claiming ninth spot (3:44.37) in the 1500m after being clipped by Englishman Andrew Baddeley.

"No it wasn�t a disappointment. Running in front of 85,000 Australians at the MCG on the night of the 5000m was the biggest highlight of my career."

"The 1500m � well that�s racing and that happens. You just have to move on."

In September, Mottram created history by becoming the first Oceania athlete to defend a World Cup title. In doing so, he dethroned one of the best distance runners of all time, Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele, and set a new personal, Australian, Oceania and Championship best time of 7:32.19.

"Bekele is rarely ever beaten and to beat him at a major event and defend my title from the 2002 World Cup in Madrid was just fantastic."

"The way I did it made it even more special. I dropped him rather than out sprinting him at the end. He was tired, everyone was tired. It was a huge way for me to cap off the year."

"To come back from inconsistent and disappointing performances and to beat one of the best athletes in the world was great."

Mottram in conjunction with coach, Nic Bideau, had to change tactics at the last minute, when Bekele decided to enter the 3000m event.

"I was going to retain the same tactics as Madrid but I didn�t know Bekele was racing in the 3000m until late."

"The Bekele plan was to settle in for four to five laps behind him, see what he did, and then unleash whatever I had for the last kilometre."

"I ended up stretching with 300m to go and got him."

The Bekele defeat was such an outstanding achievement that the reaction and consequential respect from the world�s best � both current and past athletes � left Mottram bewilded.

"On the athlete bus, some of the world�s best athletes including Sayna Richards, who won the 200m and 400m at the World Cup, stood up and gave me a clap and a pat on the back. And at the official dinner, Lord Sebastian Coe stood up on his chair and bowed to me."

In addition to Ethiopian Bekele, Mottram is renowned for his rivalry with Eliud Kipchoge, Augustine Choge and Benjamin Limo from the illustrious distance running nation of Kenya.

"One on one I�m better than all of them. Individually the Kenyans can be taken down."

"You need to isolate them and do whatever you can to beat them."

This was proven at the Newcastle/Gateshead Great North 3000m road race in England last Sunday, where he defeated Kipchoge, the 2003 world 5000m champion. In doing so, he broke the 16-year-old world best time set by Morroco�s Brahim Boutayeb, clocking 7:41.70.

So after a long, hard, yet successful year, what does the future have in store for Mottram?

"I�m looking forward to taking a month off and catching up with my family and friends. It�s hard because I�m in the best shape of my life but I�ve got to take a step back and have a break."

After his month off, Mottram will be spend up to five weeks training in Falls Creek, before embarking on the Australian summer season after Christmas.

"My immediate goal is to relax and have a great time; however we�ve got to start building up again for next year."

Other than his outstanding achievements on the road and track, Mottram has also created headlines for another reason this season � the sporting of the outrageous blonde-tipped mullet. It has been said that the hairstyle is short at the top for speed and long at the back to obscure his rivals� vision.

"I�m very attached to it but I�ve had a couple of offers to cut it off for charity."

With outstanding performances on the international stage Mottram�s profile is growing in Australia and around the world every day.

"Even though I�m away for seven months of the year, it�s great to be recognised when you do return to Australia. It�s great to know that Australian�s do care about what you�re doing."

With the Australian season fast approaching, Mottram is full of praise for the other Australian athletes who competed in Europe.

"The sport of athletics has never looked better or stronger in Australia. We have a lot to look forward to leading into the Australian season and the World Championships with so many Australian athletes currently ranked in the top 10 or 15 in the world."

"We have Steve Hooker as the number one pole vaulter in the world and our jumpers, throwers, sprinters and distance runners are all firing."

With Mottram and our other athletes in such outstanding form, Australian athletics fans can look forward to an exciting Australian season.

Craig Mottram�s 2006 season

Melbourne Telstra A Series (March 9)
2000m � 1st � 4:50.76 PB AR
Broke Simon Doyle�s previous 1994 record of 5:00.84 Eighth fastest time in history

Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games (March 20)
5000m � 2nd � 12:58.19
Choge overtook Mottram with 500m to go, Limo third Extremely fast 5000m final

Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games (March 25)
1500m � 9th - 3:44.37
Baddeley clipped Mottram resulting in fall

34th IAAF World Cross Country Championships (April 1)
4km - 11th � 11:10

Liege, Belgium (July 19)
3000m - 1st - 7:32.84 PB AR
Previous best 7:37.30 � Monaco 2002 Made race his own - winning by two and half seconds

IAAF Super Grand Prix, London (July 28)
5000m � 7th -13:08.96

IAAF Golden League, Zurich (August 18)
1500m � 5th � 3:33.97 PB
Previous best 3:34.80 - Madrid �05
Moved to no. 4 on the Australian all-time list,

2006 Super Grand Prix, Monaco (August 20)
3000m � 15th � 7:47.88
Hit flat spot in August

IAAF Golden League, Brussels (August 25)
1500m � 17th � 3:38.75
Felt effects of long campaign and longed for break

IAAF World Cup, Athens (September 17)
3000m � 1st � 7:32.19 PB AR CR
Renewed energy and focus. Created history by becoming the first Oceania athlete to defend a World Cup title Dethroned one of the best distance runners of all time � Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele

Newcastle/Gateshead Great North road race (Sep 30)
3000m � 1st - 7:41.70 PB WR
Defeated 2003 world 5000m champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya
Broke 16-year-old world best time set by Morroco's Brahim Boutayeb in 1990 at 7min 49sec

For further media information or to arrange athlete interviews, please contact:

Michelle Cook � Athletics Australia Media
0430 177 668 or michelle@jumpmedia.com.au

David Culbert � Athletics Australia Media
0417 242 641 or david@jumpmedia.com.au