Bol and the beautiful
Rivals taking notice of Aussie track star
AUSTRALIAN athlete Peter Bol knows he’s being watched.
It wasn’t the case 12 months ago when he arrived at the Tokyo Olympics relatively unknown.
A stunning semi-final win and then a gutsy fourth in the 800m final ensured the world knew a lot more about the Australian than they did a week earlier.
Since then Bol has only enhanced his growing reputation, impressing on the Diamond League circuit and then on Thursday he made a statement in the opening round of the world championships in Oregon in the US.
“There’s a lot more respect out there for sure,” Bol said after his stunning heat win in 1min45.50sec. “When I saw I was world No.3 coming into the championships, it was like ’wow’. You realise you are in a good place.
“After last year, my manager always says that the second year is the hardest to back up and I think I’ve done it well, I’ve already broken the Australian record again.”
The cards are already starting to fall his way in Eugene ahead of Friday’s semifinals with defending world champion, American Donovan Brazier, eliminated in the opening round.
Great Britain’s Max Burgin, the fastest man in the world this year, is also out because of injury.
Unfortunately Bol’s training partner, Joseph Deng,, who preceded him as the Australian record holder, was forced to withdraw due to an Achilles tendon issue.
Defending world javelin champion Kelsey-Lee Barber comfortably progressed through the qualifying round with a solid second-round effort of 61.27m, booking her a spot in Saturday’s final.
“I just need to stand at the top of the runway with full belief in what I can achieve and that is to throw far, execute the process and the javelin will fly,” said Barber, who also won Olympic bronze last year in Tokyo.
“I’ve done it before and I’ll trust that I can do it again.
“I love this atmosphere, I thrive on it and I’m ready for (the final on) Friday.”
Fellow Australian Mackenzie Little (59.06m) just got through to the final but 2018 Commonwealth champion Kathryn Mitchell was eliminated.
There was drama for Australia in the women’s 5000m heats with national record holder Jessica Hull a nonstarter after testing positive to Covid-19 following her seventh-placed finish in the 1500m two days ago.
She is now in isolation at home in Portland.
Australia’s other two representatives didn’t fare well with Natalie Rule succumbing to the heat, pulling out at halfway in clear distress while Rose Davies was 15th in the other heat.
A season’s best from Sarah Carli (55.57sec) wasn’t enough to progress through the 400m hurdles semi-finals while Alex Beck was eliminated in the men’s 400m semis in 46.21sec.