JACK DARES TO DREAM TOKYO
Toowoomba runner on 1500m pace
ATHLETICS: It’s been a huge year on USA tracks for Toowoomba runner Jack Anstey but he hopes it’s only a taste of what might lie ahead for him in 2020.
Anstey put all his sporting eggs in one basket 21⁄2 years ago when he left Australia looking to take his track promise to the next level in the USA college system.
After a “tough” start to his new challenge, Anstey began making his move on the NCAA track and field circuit, running for Illinois State University where he is studying physical education and kinesiology.
This year the rewards have begun rolling in for the 22-year-old.
He has now become only the 68th Australian to break the four-minute mile barrier.
Anstey also ended the season as an “All-American” after finishing inside the top eight NCAA 1500-metre runners from as many as 5000 competitors in the college system.
His climb has also continued up the Australian ladder where he is now placed inside the national top 10 for both 800 and 1500m.
Attempting to qualify for next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games is now on the radar of Anstey who returned from his college commitments for a Toowoomba home visit last week.
“I enjoy coming home and although I’m not racing at present I’m training pretty hard while I’m here,” Anstey said.
“I’ve had a huge year performance-wise breaking the fourminute mile, and finishing the season as an All-American really topped things off.
“It was a pretty big goal and I’m the first All-American at my college since 2001.
“I finished nowhere near the top eight last year when I was somewhere around the mid-30s.
“To put the top-eight finish in perspective, Pat Tiernan in his very last year over there finished fourth or fifth.
“The biggest thing this season is I’ve been really healthy and have been able to put in the hard training.
“Breaking four minutes was also a big turning point for me.
“I’d been on the verge of world class but that break through sort of flicked a switch.
“I’ve applied now to take a year off next year and return to Australia in March to contest the Olympic trials.
“I’m ranked ninth or 10th in Australia now and to be honest I feel that doesn’t truly reflect where I’m at at the moment.
“I’ve run 3:41 in the USA for 1500 metres and the Olympic qualifying time is 3:36.
“But if the Olympics don’t happen for me next year I’m still super young and I’ve got a lot of room for development.”