Breakthrough has Trengrove on cloud nine
JESS Trengove has Gold Coast 2018 in her sights after the Aussie star’s breakthrough marathon effort at London’s world championships.
Trengove, who won the bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, is focused on emulating hero Kerryn McCann’s famous 2006 victory from Melbourne on the Gold Coast next year.
It comes after her ninthplaced effort (2 hours 28 minutes 59 seconds) to become the first Aussie woman to claim a top-10 finish.
“I’m incredibly excited about April 2018,” she said.
“The Gold Coast is going to be very special for our country.” The immediate focus, though, was on her effort at the world championships.
Trengrove had the No.9 in her head all week leading up to the race.
This was the ninth marathon of her career and her brother, Jack, the former Melbourne captain, wears No.9 in the AFL. So it made sense in her mind that she’d become the first Australian woman to register a top 10 placing at the world titles and finish ... ninth.
“This is my ninth marathon and I had a little thing about number nine, it’s my brother’s footy number,” Trengove said.
“My coach Adam (Didyk) wrote me a little letter before the race saying I think there is something special about this number nine thing so run proud out there knowing it’s your brother’s footy number.
“And then to finish ninth, it’s a fairytale.”
Bahrain’s Rose Chelimo took gold in 2hr27.11sec, with Sinead Diver, 40, the next Aussie home in 20th (2:33.26sec).