16.06.2009

World champs still in sight for Gregson

New South Wales runner Ryan Gregson will tomorrow commence his European campaign ahead of a huge few months for the rising track star.

The 19-year-old will tomorrow join fellow Australians Youcef Abdi (3000m steeplechase), Collis Birmingham (1500m), Fabrice Lapierre (long jump) and Jeff Riseley (1500m) at the Golden Spike Grand Prix in Ostrava in the countdown to July's World University Games and the world track and field titles in August.

Gregson, named Athletics International's Emerging Athlete of the Year for the 2008/09 Australian season, will concentrate on the mile and 1500m in a bid to gain selection to race in the August championships following the university titles in Belgrade in July, where he will line up in the 1500m.

This month he spoke with the Illawarra Mercury about realising his long-held dream of competing on the European circuit.

"This is the big time now, I guess," Gregson said.

"It's what all the young, aspiring athletes dream of doing, going on the European circuit and being a special athlete.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm going to be away from home for three months but I'm really looking forward to the challenge."

Gregson will base himself in London with manager Nic Bideau and fellow Australian athletes including Birmingham, Riseley and Nick Bromley.

Following tomorrow's mile run (1.6km) in the Czech Republic, Gregson will compete in 1500m races in Italy on July 25, Norway on July 3, at the World University Games in Serbia from July 7-9 and in Paris on July 17.

In that time he hopes to qualify for the world championships.

"They're all big races and really strong fields and they'll be fast," Gregson said.

"Because I ran such a fast time at such a young age I've been given a chance to be in the big races because they want to give a young guy a chance so I'm really lucky.

"It's all around Europe and I'm going to see a bit of everything."

While Gregson is quietly confident of turning on a good performance at the World University Games, qualifying for the world championships is his goal.

To do that he will need to run under 3:36.20 by July 19, an improvement of one full second on his career best.

Gregson is philosophical about qualification to the event.

"I'll have about three or four chances over 1500m. That's enough. If I can't do it in those, I'm never going to get it," he said.

Coach Ian Hatfield believes the European experience will be a perfect springboard in his development as an elite 1500m runner.

"I believe he's in very good shape. He's come back from an injury last year, he's had a wonderful summer season and training has been first class," Hatfield said.

"He's getting fitter and stronger and I believe he will do very well overseas."

With thanks to the Illawarra Mercury