04.05.2009

Forrest on fire in California

Victorian distance runner Shawn Forrest has become the third Australian to run under 28:00 in the 10,000m in a week, clocking the result at the Payton Jordan Invitational in Stanford, California.  

Forrest stopped the clock at 27:52.10 to set a new personal best, world championships B-qualifier and University of Arkansas record.

Forrest slashed more than 30 seconds off his previous best time of 28:24 and seconds off the school benchmark of 28:07.27, set by former Arkansas Razorback Josphat Boit in 2005.

Forrest’s time leads the southeast conference by nearly 30 seconds, ranks second in the NCAA and is the ninth-fastest in the world for 2009.

He is currently the leading college athlete in the USA over 10,000m.

In 2008 Craig Mottram posted a time of 27:34 over the distance at the Payton Jordan meet.

In clocking the result, Forrest becomes the third Australian to run under 28:00 in a week after Collis Birmingham (27:29.73) and Michael Shelley (27.59.77) achieved the feat at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational event in California last weekend. 

While the result secures Forrest automatic entry to the NCAA Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in June, it falls just short of the 27:47.00 A-qualifying standard for Berlin.

Competing in Division 2 over the same distance at the weekend, Ben Ashkettle clocked 29:36.03 to finish in 24th place.

Aiming for a World University Games qualifying time of 28.40, Ashkettle will now turn his attention to the US Regionals meet in his bid to qualify for the July Games.

In the 800m, Craig Huffer stopped the clock at 1:50.09 to cross the line in sixth place against a strong field.

He will race the 1500m in Oregon this weekend to round out his US campaign.

In the women’s field Zoe Buckman finished fifth over the two-lap event, posting a season-best time of 2:05.21.