Big gamble on runner pays off

ATHLETICS: It was a hunch based on potential and it’s now an inspired selection with teenager Joseph Deng through to the 800m final.

Deng was born in a refugee camp in Kenya after his mother left South Sudan to get away from a war.

He was aged six when his family moved to Australia, settling in Toowoomba.

Deng was at the centre of a selection controversy when picked as Australia’s discretionary third runner ahead of three-time Olympian Jeff Riseley.

The 19-year-old delivered by running an inspired heat to make it through to the final as one of the two fastest qualifiers.

National champion Luke Mathews looked very impressive, finishing second behind defending champion Nigel Amos to automatically go through to the final.

Deng ran an excellent tactical race and wasy grabbed over only the last couple of metres, finishing third in 1min45.72sec - just .01 sec outside his personal best.

It was the fastest heat of the morning, meaning the rising star of Australia’s track and field team was through to his first major championship final.

“I was happy with that and it was only .01 sec off my PB,” Deng said.

“I hope (the final) is fast because I like fast races.”

Deng was controversially selected after failing to make the final of the selection trials in February. Instead, he ran in the B-race and produced the fastest time of the weekend.

Mathews, 22, showed his class and eased down over the final 50m to run 1:46.53 sec, finishing the race with a shotgun salute to the crowd.

“I knew it was going to be pretty quick,” he said.

“I just sat on him (Amos) and I heard the crowd on that top bend and I thought ‘holy crap’.”