Home » News and Media » News » 2010 » March » McNeill leads all-Aussie charge in Arkansas
16.03.2010
Twenty-three-year-old McNeill, who placed 24th over 10,000m at last year’s world championships in Berlin, clocked a quick 3:36.41 to take out the indoor title and surpass Shawn Forrest’s previous Australian-best time of 13:37.77 (Fayetteville, 13/02/2009).
"It was tough, I guess I had a slightly different approach to this race and put more pressure on myself and it could have gone one of two ways, it could have paid off or come back to bite me,” he said.
“I took the risk and fought for it and came up with my first NCAA title. It feels really good."


The Northern Arizona University student returned to the track the following day only to fall agonizingly short of claiming the 3000m/5000m double, pipped over 3000m to cross the line in a time of 8:10.96.
McNeill was joined in the action by Tasmanian Ryan Foster, who just three months into 2010 has posted two new national indoor records - over 800m and 1000m - and continued his run of good form with a third placing over 800m at the NCAA indoor titles at the weekend.
Foster clocked 1:48.79 to claim bronze for Penn State University and boost Australia’s medal tally to three.
“It kind of went out how I thought it would,” he said.
“It was a little quick through the 400m, I don’t know how quick it was but it felt really fast. On that last lap I was kind of thinking I was toast and then (Andrew) Wheating passed me and I decided I had another gear left but unfortunately that put me in a really bad spot around the final bend.
“I have a little bit of a feeling I missed a really good opportunity to win something there but we live and learn.
“When you put it into perspective I was ranked 23 in the nation outdoors (coming into the season) and I had the second time this year so I guess my progression has been really, really good and hell, I’m in third place and I’m not going to sneeze at it, in 10 minutes time I’m probably going to be laughing but I guess you always want to win.”
New South Wales athlete Heidi Gregson, racing for New York’s Iona College, flew the flag for Australia’s female distance community, stopping the clock at 4:55.76 to place 10th over the mile.
University of Oregon athlete Zoe Buckman placed 17th overall in the heats of the 800m with a time of 2:10.35, the Sydneysider missing out on a berth in the final round.
McNeill will return to Australia for the Go for 2&5 88th Australian Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games selection trials, to be held at the all-new Western Australian athletics facility in Perth from April 16-18.
News
McNeill leads all-Aussie charge in Arkansas
The future stars of Australian middle distance running turned on a dominant display at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas (USA) at the weekend, led by Australian Flame athlete David McNeill who posted a new national indoor record to take out the men’s 5000m.Twenty-three-year-old McNeill, who placed 24th over 10,000m at last year’s world championships in Berlin, clocked a quick 3:36.41 to take out the indoor title and surpass Shawn Forrest’s previous Australian-best time of 13:37.77 (Fayetteville, 13/02/2009).
"It was tough, I guess I had a slightly different approach to this race and put more pressure on myself and it could have gone one of two ways, it could have paid off or come back to bite me,” he said.
“I took the risk and fought for it and came up with my first NCAA title. It feels really good."


The Northern Arizona University student returned to the track the following day only to fall agonizingly short of claiming the 3000m/5000m double, pipped over 3000m to cross the line in a time of 8:10.96.
McNeill was joined in the action by Tasmanian Ryan Foster, who just three months into 2010 has posted two new national indoor records - over 800m and 1000m - and continued his run of good form with a third placing over 800m at the NCAA indoor titles at the weekend.
Foster clocked 1:48.79 to claim bronze for Penn State University and boost Australia’s medal tally to three.
“It kind of went out how I thought it would,” he said.
“It was a little quick through the 400m, I don’t know how quick it was but it felt really fast. On that last lap I was kind of thinking I was toast and then (Andrew) Wheating passed me and I decided I had another gear left but unfortunately that put me in a really bad spot around the final bend.
“I have a little bit of a feeling I missed a really good opportunity to win something there but we live and learn.
“When you put it into perspective I was ranked 23 in the nation outdoors (coming into the season) and I had the second time this year so I guess my progression has been really, really good and hell, I’m in third place and I’m not going to sneeze at it, in 10 minutes time I’m probably going to be laughing but I guess you always want to win.”
New South Wales athlete Heidi Gregson, racing for New York’s Iona College, flew the flag for Australia’s female distance community, stopping the clock at 4:55.76 to place 10th over the mile.
University of Oregon athlete Zoe Buckman placed 17th overall in the heats of the 800m with a time of 2:10.35, the Sydneysider missing out on a berth in the final round.
McNeill will return to Australia for the Go for 2&5 88th Australian Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games selection trials, to be held at the all-new Western Australian athletics facility in Perth from April 16-18.
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