16.08.2009

Flickering fortunes favour the Flame

After a long and nervous wait for the Australian team, protests against Brendan Cole in the 400m hurdles and Jeff Riseley in the 1500m were successfully appealed and both will line up in semi finals tomorrow and Monday respectively. A sigh of relief resounded through the team, capping off a good night at the Olympic Stadium.

400m hurdles

In an Australian first Brendan Cole and Tristan Thomas have both progressed through to the semi-finals of the men’s 400m hurdles. In an event filled with close racing and controversy the Canberra-based debutantes were relieved and excited to make it through.

Tasmanian-born Thomas ran in heat two against 2005 world champion Bershawn Jackson from the USA, his sparring partner from the Australian domestic season. In a fast heat, Thomas was clean over the hurdles but faded slightly in the final straight to finish fourth in 49.53, leaving him with an anxious wait.

“It’s one of the hardest things in the sport to just sit there and not know that you are definitely in. I was waiting for the last heat and sitting in the fourth qualifying position and wanting everyone in that race to run slow,” Thomas said.

In the final heat, Canberra athlete Brendan Cole ran an outstanding race taking the scalp of Beijing Olympic champion Angelo Taylor to place third in 49.63 and has automatically qualified for tomorrow night’s semi-final.

Cole led both Taylor and South African world leader, LJ Van Zyl at 300m and ran the final straight strongly.

All smiles, Cole said: “I am just really bloody excited; I only just made the team in the last few weeks. I didn’t have the immense pressure on me and I wasn’t expecting to do anything amazing. Any scalp I get is a little bonus. To beat the Olympic champion is very nice, very nice indeed. So yeah, I’m stoked, it’s great. I’m fit and I’m healthy and I think that’s what got me through.”

With the semi-finals tomorrow night, Thomas was already feeling some pressure.

“I’ll do a bit of soul searching. I’ve been given an opportunity, so I really have to make the most of it and live up to the potential I have shown throughout the year.”

Men’s 1500m

2009 Australian champion Jeff Riseley faced a strong heat one of the men’s 1500m including the silver medallist from Paris, Mehdi Baala (FRA). Placing fourth in 3.43.03 he will move through to his first championships semi-final on day three. Another notch in what has been a great year for the youngster from Melbourne in which he has rewritten the Australian middle distance all-time lists and moved to No. 2 in the 1500m behind Queenslander Simon Doyle. 

Riseley was thrilled with the result.

"Happy days. That was the plan. I just had to relax over the first 800m and accept the position I got. There is no point getting in the front with all the argy-bargy and spend the first two laps fighting.

"I just accepted that I was at the back and with 500m to go just had to make sure I got in a position to be able to cover any moves."

"I hit a few dead ends and had to throw a few elbows to get out. When I needed to sprint I found it. I got tired in the last 30 metres, but it was enough. I got that fourth automatic which is what I came for."

Outstanding junior Ryan Gregson, still only 18 years old, has made a rapid rise through the senior ranks this year and was rewarded with a berth in the Australian team. Gregson left nothing on the track as he stormed to the lead in heat two, despite the tough field including defending champion Bernard Lagat and race favorite Asbel Kipruto Kiprop. Gregson showed tenacity and fight but was overwhelmed by the field with 300m to go and finished tenth in 3.44.79.

"To get in that first five that was pretty crazy. They are all Olympic medallists. It was a pretty tough heat. A lot of people who have come to the world stage have gone straight to the back, but you have just got to give yourself a chance," Gregson said of his performance.

Sydney's Jeremy Roff, fresh from a personal best in the mile at the London Grand Prix lined up in heat three. Roff looked strong and relaxed sitting at the front of the field for the majority of the race and hitting the front with 600m to go. Rounding the bend on the back straight some congestion knocked Roff and the pack started to move. Unable to kick with the leaders Roff slipped back to 10th place in 3.47.08.

Men’s 20km walk

In front of a stunning backdrop on one of the most picturesque walks courses ever seen Australian Flame walkers Jared Tallent, Luke Adams and Adam Rutter took to the streets in front of the Brandenburg Gate for the 20km walk, the first final of the 12th IAAF world athletics championships.

In a day of mixed fortunes for the Australians Luke Adams looked strong early before Rutter took the lead for a short time, but it was Beijing dual medallist Jared Tallent who was the first Flame over the line finishing sixth in 1.20.27 behind Russian Valeriy Borchin, who took the title in 1.18.41. Tallent walked a consistent and technically strong race indicating he is in the right shape for the 50km event on day seven.

Experienced campaigner Luke Adams placed 18th in 1.22.37 after feeling short of breath before the halfway mark. World championships debutante Adam Rutter was disqualified just after the 11km mark after taking the lead for a lap.

A contented Tallent said of his sixth placing: "You have got to be on song to do well so I am happy, sixth place is nothing to sneeze at. It was good but you always like to be in the medals."

"It was good to have my training partner Adam up there with me. I feel really sorry for him that he was disqualified but he'll work on that and it will give him a lot of confidence. The same thing happened to me two years ago at the World Champs. I was in a similar position and got DQ'd. The next year I went on to medal at the Olympic Games. As long as he works on his technique he will be a real star for the future."

A philosophical Rutter was a surprise leader at the 11km mark.

"You actually feel like you have a chance when you feel good at that part of the race, it was amazing," he said.

However, after receiving three warnings, he was eliminated.

"I got disqualified in world juniors but I've been pretty good in the other overseas meets, I guess with these races you sort of have to test yourself."

In other results from today’s first session of the championships Australian duo Justin Anlezark and Scott Martin contested the qualifying round of the men’s shot put, placing 14th and 25th respectively to miss out on a berth in tonight’s final.

Anlezark’s best effort of 19.94m came in the opening round and was followed by throws of 19.41m and 19.33m, well short of his season’s best 20.39m recorded just 13 days ago at Wattenscheid.

The nine-time national champion and fourth placegetter at the 2003 world championships was disappointed with the result.

"I started really well and I thought that hopefully my first round was good enough to get through, but then a few others guys starting really popping them,” Anlezark said.

“I kept throwing down the right sector. At least I did better than I did in Beijing.”

In his second world championships appearance Martin recorded a best distance of 19.52m, almost a metre shy of his season’s best 20.45m. Launching his campaign with a throw of 19.16m, Martin posted his best throw in the second round before a last-ditch effort of 19.33m ended his hopes for a berth in the final.

The 2006 national champion was shattered to miss out on a place in the final.

"I think the technique and power was there, but the timing wasn't,” he said.

“I had a bit of a groin strain, so I took this week off training. The week before that I pretty much had off training because of my foot injury. Unless you throw at least twice a week it's hard to keep your timing."

"I did okay but I am really disappointed because I think I belong in the final. I belong in the world top eight."

Women’s 3000m steeplechase representative Donna MacFarlane was also unlucky not to progress, the Tasmanian recording a season’s best time of 9:52.46 but missing out on a berth in the decider.

MacFarlane cut five seconds off her previous best time for 2009 (9:57.14) but in finishing 12th did not advance to the final.

"I got myself into a good position, there were a few elbows flying around in the first lap,” MacFarlane said.

“I am surprised I didn’t run well, I didn’t expect it to go this way.”

To view post event interviews from day one click here.

With day one of the burning ambition campaign complete the Australian Flame will now regroup and prepare for tomorrow’s action featuring:

Madeleine Pape - 800m heats

Kim Mickle – javelin qualifying

Youcef Abdi – 3000m steeplechase heats

Jess Rothwell, Claire Tallent and Cheryl Webb – 20km walk final

Alwyn Jones – triple jump qualifying

Brendan Cole and Tristan Thomas – 400m hurdles semi-finals