The 62nd installment of Zatopek:10 belonged to Leanne Pompeani and Jack Rayner who carved their names into history as Australian 10,000m champions with dominant wins, complemented by rising star Amy Bunnage’s Australian Under 18 record. 

Canberra’s Leanne Pompeani (ACT, Des Proctor) has won her maiden Australian national title in emphatic fashion over 10,000m at Zatopek:10, with the finish line the only barrier stopping the 26-year-old from extending her margin over the slick field in a time of 32:20.35.

“This is my first open national title and it feels good to do that at Zatopek at a big event,” Pompeani said.

“It’s one I’ll remember.  I wasn’t planning on taking the lead that early but things just happen and it’s got to be someone so I thought why not give it a try.”

Pompeani’s victory was crafted off the back of an assertive move with 10 laps remaining, pouring on the pressure at the front with pre-race favourites Rose Davies (NSW, Scott Westcott) and Izzi Batt-Doyle (SA, Nic Bideau) in hot pursuit. The Olympic duo battled valiantly but could live up to Pompeani on the night, who roared to a major breakthrough on the track after a slow start.

“It’s definitely a lot of pressure (running with Davies). I know she’s been training so well, so I didn’t know what she would do tonight but it did feel like she was biding her time. She probably has more of a kick than me so I knew I just had to keep this pace honest,” she said.

“It is funny, there is always a point in the race that you want to pull out, and for me that was at six laps to go. Rose was there putting the pressure on, but the gap started to open up and I got a second wind. Once I saw the gap, I thought I have to take this now.

An Australian representative at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Pompeani has since been renowned for her road-running prowess – a misconception now re-written by her demolition job over 25 laps ahead of a host of international opportunities.

“This is the stepping stone. This was a priority but there is probably a slightly higher one at the (World Athletics Cross Country) trials so this is sort of, if I can run well here, keep doing what I’m doing in training, I should be ready to hit the ground hard at the trials and prove myself again that this wasn’t just a good night from me.

“I’m in much better shape and if i can make this team, I really want to go hard at Bathurst and go for top 20.”

Batt-Doyle rallied late for silver, with back-to-back champion Davies claiming bronze.

Jack Rayner (VIC, Nic Bideau) made it back-to-back Australian 10,000m titles with a dominant display in the closing kilometres of the Men’s championships race, playing with the field before serving high-fives to the crowd in the home straight.

“I always love Zatopek. I’ve missed out on a couple of years due to injuries but I think that was my seventh time doing it. I’ve grown up doing it since I was 18 or 19 but I’ve gotten better each year, some years not so good, but  it’s nice to get my stride going now,” Rayner said.

Rayner and the field casually reeled in early race leader Jordan Gusman (Malta) who was bold in his bid for glory, but it soon became obvious that the man with the mustache was simply too classy for his competitors as he sailed to an uncontested victory.

“I actually didn’t realise he made a move but I looked up and he was 50m in front. I thought, ah, I’ll let him go for a bit and make sure he doesn’t get too far in front, but it kept it a little bit interesting,” Rayner said.

The win caps off a sublime year for the Australian record holder who has returned to the track from marathon duties, only just beginning to fulfill his potential after a breakthrough season.

“It’s been my best year without a doubt. I’ve run PB’s and two Australian records. I’m over the moon and hopefully I can keep the ball rolling next year into World Cross Country and World Champs,” Rayner said.

I knew I had never reached my potential on the track but it didn’t always translate to racing.”\

Andre Waring (VIC, Steve Dineen) and Jack Bruce (QLD, Collis Birmingham) took home the minor medals with strong runs.

Also on the timetable tonight was the ever prestigious Ondieki Women’s U20  and the De Castella Men’s U20 3000m events, showcasing the most talented junior distance athletes in the country.

Amy Bunnage (VIC, Tim O’Shaughnessy) impressed when setting a new Australian U18 record of 9:00.60, eclipsing renowned distance runner Eloise Wellings’ record from 1999 by nearly two seconds.

Ahead of the pack as soon as the start gun went off, it was Bunnage who stood out through the race as she slowly surged over seven and a half laps to create a sizeable gap, big enough to defeat second-place getter Gabrielle Schmidt by close to 24 seconds.  The 17-year-old is enjoying a celebratory week, after being announced as one of Victoria’s top performers in the VCE.

Australian mile champion 16-year-old Cameron Myers (ACT, Lee Bobbin) continued his upward trajectory on the track, taking out the men’s event in 8:05.82 defeating World Under 20 Championships representative Archie Noakes (VIC, Charlotte Wilson) by nearly three seconds (8:05.82) and South Australian Cael Mulholland (SA, Michael Nitschke).

It was a tussle to the finish line in the Men’s 1500m for a trio of Victorians, but Jack Lunn (VIC, Steve Fabris) came out victorious, stopping the clock in 3:44.94 ahead of William Lewis (VIC, Steve Fabris) in 3:45.72 and closely followed by Samuel Clifford (TAS, Gary Armstrong). Jaylah Hancock-Cameron (NSW, Andae Kalemusic) crossed the line first in the Women’s 1500m in 4:14.19.

Full results from the 2022 edition of Zatopek:10 can be found HERE.

By Lachlan Moorhouse and Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia Posted: 15/12/2022

Robinson overtakes de Castella as Australia’s fastest marathoner

Brett Robinson will go down in history as the fastest Australian man over 42.2km, after breaking Rob de Castella’s 36-year-old Australian marathon record at the Fukuoka International Marathon this afternoon.

The 31-year-old from Melbourne ran a valiant 2:07:31, slashing the famed marathoner’s previous record by 20 seconds. The time was a personal best by two minutes and 21 seconds, and saw him average 3:01 per kilometre over the swift course.

 

Brett Robinson – Photo: Athletics Australia

Placing fourth out of a field of 36, Robinson said he was not only thrilled to achieve a record he had been chasing for many years, but was excited to be competitive on the world stage.

“It’s such a great feeling. I’ve gone for this record a few times now, and it’s funny – I always talk about going for it before a race but I didn’t mention it to anyone this time around. I went about my own business and I finally got it. I knew I was capable of it,” Robinson said.

“The current crop of Australian athletes are smashing records at the moment, and this was one of the last long standing ones for us to tick off, so it means a lot to me to finally get this today.”

The record and the completion of his eighth marathon was extra sweet for Robinson, who has been derailed in a handful of marathons by a persistent stitch; an ailment that caused the athlete to finish in a heartbreaking 66^th place at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

“It was good race, but I still encountered some of the same problems that I usually have with my stitch. I had it in London during my last race, but I learnt to deal with it by breathing differently. It allowed me to keep going and keep a good pace,” he said.

“There’s always panic that sets in once I feel it coming on but after dealing with it, I was confident that I could stick within the pack.”

Robinson said he also credits his compatriot and training partner Jack Rayner for helping him along the way as one of the pacers of the race.

“It was so good having Jack pace. He did a great job but having one of my best mates around helped me a lot this week and it makes it more special.”

Coached by Nic Bideau since 2012, Robinson will now turn his attention to the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 2023 in February.

“The World Cross Country Championships are only around the corner. I’ll see how my body pulls up from this but that is what’s next on my radar. It’s a really exciting event and more so that it’s in Australia, but we’ll see how I go.

Olympic legend and marathon great Steve Moneghetti said Robinson’s run highlights the current strength of Australian distance running.

“It’s just so exciting to have Australian distance running taken to this next level. Brett’s had a lot of physical issues in running marathons, so this is a testament to his talent and his resilience in overcoming all of it,” Moneghetti said.

“It’s not a surprise that he’s broken the record because his progression has shown he has been capable of doing this, but this is just terrific. To be so competitive with a fourth place finish shows what he can do on the world stage too.

“I also want to give credit to Deeks for holding the record for so long. We’ve been waiting for it to be broken for so many years now, and we need to acknowledge just how hard it’s been for anyone to get even close.”

Australia’s All-Time Top 10 – Men’s Marathon:

1.       Brett Robinson, 2:07.31 – Fukuoka, Japan (4.12.2022)

2.       Rob de Castella, 2:07.51 – Boston, USA (21.4.1986)

3.       Steve Moneghetti, 2:08:16 – Berlin, Germany (30.9.1990)

4.       Derek Clayton, 2:08.33.6 – Antwerp, Belgium (30.5.1969)

5.       Pat Carroll, 2:09.39 – Beppu-Oita, Japan (5.2.1995)

6.       Lee Troop, 2:09:49 – Lake Biwa, Japan (2.5.2003)

7.       Gary Henry, 2:10:09 – Fukuoka, Japan (7.12.1980)

8.       Brad Camp, 2:10:11 – Gold Coast, Australia (23.7.1989)

9.       Dave Chettle, 2:10:20 – Fukuoka, Japan (7.12.1975)

10.     Shaun Creighton, 2:10:22 – Berlin, Germany (28.9.1997) & Nick Harrison 2:10:22 – Beppu-Oita, Japan (3.2.2003)

By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 4/12/2022

Diver shatters Willis‘ marathon record on historic day for Australian athletics

A second Australian road record has tumbled in just a matter of hours, with Tokyo Olympian and Commonwealth Games representative Sinead Diver shattering the Australian women’s marathon record by more than one minute at the Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Marathon.

In an historic day for Australian distance running, Diver put on a gutsy performance to finish in 12th place and demolish Benita Willis’ long-standing 16-year-old record, clocking 2:21:34.

Diver’s run not only makes her the fastest Australian female over the distance, but in lowering her previous personal best (2:24:11) by almost three minutes shows that there is much more to come for the Irish born 45-year-old.

 

Sinead Diver shattering the Australian women’s marathon record by more than one minute – Photo: Athletics Australia

“I have wanted this for so long and I wasn’t sure if I was good enough to get it. I’ve had a few goes at it now, this was my third crack at it and every time I line up, it takes a lot. Things have to really fall into place so I’m beyond delighted that it’s happened,” Diver said.

“Benita (Willis) is Australia’s best runner of all time so it’s an honour to now have this record. I couldn’t be prouder today.”

Having attempted the record as recently as March this year in Nagoya, Japan where she was unable to complete the marathon, Diver said her run in Valencia was about putting her learnings into practise.

“My lead-in to this has been really good. It was good for Japan as well, but I went out too fast and it was hot, but I knew I was ready for it this time. I wanted it badly but while I was running, I also knew I needed to make sure I was in control of what I was doing,” she said.

“I was getting a little concerned at one point today because it was quicker than I anticipated at the half way mark, so I pulled back from pace group and caught them again.

“I was very conscious of how I was feeling, but this is my 14^th marathon and every one of them is different. The only thing that is the same is that you go through good and bad but it was so great to get one that was fast and one that I could focus in on for the record.”

Diver’s record comes just hours after fellow Australian and training partner Brett Robinson made history by breaking Robert de Castella’s 36-year-old Australian men’s marathon record. Both athletes are coached by Nic Bideau.

“It’s really special to get this record on the same day as Brett,” Diver said.

“He has been targeting it for a while. I actually didn’t know if I wanted to know if he got it when I woke up this morning so I didn’t look at my social media or anything but as we were walking over to the start line, someone asked if I had heard about his record, and I got a rush of excitement. I was so happy to know it before I started running.”

Australia’s All-Time Top 10 – Women’s Marathon

1.       Sinead Diver, 2:21:34 – Valencia, Spain (4.12.22)

2.       Benita Willis, 2:22:36 – Chicago, USA (22.10.06)

3.       Lisa Ondieki, 2:23:51 – Osaka, Japan (31.1.88)

4.       Lisa Weightman, 2:24:00 – Berlin, Germany (25.9.22)

5.       Eloise Wellings, 2:25:10 – Nagoya, Japan (13.3.22)

6.       Jessica Stenson, 2:25:15 – Perth, Australia (17.10.21)

7.       Nickey Carroll, 2:25:51 – London, Great Britain (18.4.99)

8.       Kerryn McCann, 2:25:59 – London, Great Britain (16.4.00)

9.       Ellie Pashley, 2:26:21 – Nagoya, Japan (10.3.19)

10.     Milly Clark, 2:25:59 – Melbourne, Australia (12.12.21)

By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 4/12/2022