Athletes guarantee their selection for Australia’s first ever home world championship next month in Bathurst
Australia’s team for the upcoming World Cross Country Championships has taken shape with some of the nations best locking in their spots. WHO MADE THE TEAM >> ––
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A Melbourne Track Club trio has dominated the men’s 10,000m to secure their spot in the Australian team for the World Cross Country Championships.
Australia's distance running elite flocked to Stromlo Forest on Sunday morning with the ambition to secure their spot for next month’s titles in Bathurst.
Being the first ever held in Australia adds another element of motivation to an already driven bunch, and with so few spots available it made for cutthroat racing.
The first to do battle was the mens 10,000m event in which 42 men tackled the rolling hills of Canberra's Stromlo Park, chasing only three automatic spots on the team.
Pundits had it clear that the race would belong to Melbourne Track Club’s Jack Rayner and Brett Robinson due to their stellar form at the back end of 2022 however it would be their teammate Matt Ramsden making his presence felt early.
Ramsden wasted no time putting nearly 20 seconds on the field in the opening 2.5km in front of multiple time representative and Olympian Liam Adams.
Edging into the halfway mark of the race it was Robinson and Rayner who would get to work chasing down their teammate with Rayner making the move to sail home to a big win.
“It was great to get the win” Rayner Said
“If everyone makes an effort to get down to Bathurst it will be amazing, I can't wait.”
“I just wanted to get out and keep the winning streak going… six weeks to go until Bathurst but before then I’ll be running a half marathon in between in Japan and take my new fitness across to @WABathurst23.†- Jack Rayner pic.twitter.com/oODEeiVCnR
— Athletics Australia (@AthsAust) January 14, 2023
Managing to hold on, Ramsden edged out teammate Robinson to lock themselves in, while Canberra’s Rory Hunter, Victoria’s Andy Buchanan and NSW’s Jackson Sharp rounded out the next three spots, and will now wait on selectors’ decision to see if they join the MTC contingent in Bathurst.
Next up was the hardest event of the day with the women’s 10,000m coming with it a host of storylines.
New 10k track champion Leanne Pompeani came in with a newfound sense of being chased as the Canberra native looked to make her presence felt early.
The pack stayed together through the early stages until Rose Davies, Pompeani and Paige Campbell and Caitlin Adams got to work and made the break away.
Working well as a group through stages, Davies put her foot on the accelerator and asked the question of the field before making a big enough gap to sit comfortably in first.
Rose Davies wins the Women’s 10km trial to secure her spot on the Australian team for @WABathurst23.
— Athletics Australia (@AthsAust) January 14, 2023
Canberra’s Leanne Pompeani crosses the line second, with Caitlin Adams in third. #ThisIsAthleticspic.twitter.com/X0VsijCVWu
The chase was on behind Davies as Pompeani and Adams found themselves in the automatic spots, however not far behind was the class of Izzy Batt-doyle steaming ahead.
In the conclusive stages of the race Batt-Doyle was hunting fellow South Australian Adams all the way to the finish line with Adams getting the better of her teammate and guaranteeing her spot in Bathurst.
“This has been on my mind for the last three years” Adams said
“I was so determined to get third … I know Izzy is such a tough competitor … I had to dig deep”
Behind Batt-Doyle was Paige Campbell and new mum Ellie Pashley, who round out the top 6 and will now await selector’s discretion as to their place on the team.
Davies was stoked to guarantee her spot.
“I’ve been focusing on this for a while so happy with that automatic selection” Davies said.
“I know the Bathurst course is quite hilly so I’ll keep training for that”
Attention then shifted to the men’s 2000m event which is used as the qualifier for the relay event.
With only one automatic spot, Australia’s best middle distance runner Stewart Mcsweyn toed the line and left nothing to chance in the process dominating the course to book his ticket on the team.
“I’m confident if we can get it right on the day, we’ll be right in the mix” Mcsweyn said.
“We’re going to be doing everything we can”.
“There was a few hills in that second half that made it difficult but for both me and Abbey it’s going to be awesome to race at @WABathurst23. A few weeks more and we’ll be ready for Bathurst.†- @Stewy_mac3#ThisIsAthleticspic.twitter.com/xRrgXM3QH2
— Athletics Australia (@AthsAust) January 14, 2023
Next over the short course were the women with arguably the deepest field in all of the races across the morning.
With Olympians, world champion representatives and Commonwealth Games medallists the automatic spot was going to be one of the hardest to get.
Early it was the work of Jessica Hull who looked to break up the pack with only one being able to jump on the back of the Australian Record holder with Commonwealth Games Bronze Medalist Abbey Caldwell rising to the occasion.
Over the closing stages Caldwell found another gear and extended away from Hull to claim that automatic spot for the women.
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Abbey Caldwell will join McSweyn in the Mixed Relay team, winning the Women’s 2km at the @WABathurst23 trials.#ThisIsAthleticspic.twitter.com/5DbstFbVEe
— Athletics Australia (@AthsAust) January 14, 2023
“Its pretty exciting” Caldwell said.
“It’s a huge privilege to cross the line first and such an awesome experience”
Moving from the open events the Junior Men and Women now had their chance to try and qualify for what many would be their first Australian singlet.
The men were the first to do it and the class of the field with Australian cross country champion Logan and under 20 Australian steeplechase representative Archie Noakes up the front early.
Given the hot start the pair created a gap that was too far to break into with Janetzki taking the win ahead of Noakes and Queensland Charlie Coomber to round out the three automatic spots.
“It feels so good” Janetzki said.
“I’ve been thinking about this race for years always wanted to run here.”
“Really happy to (represent Australia) in cross country my favourite event, im keen!”
The final athletes on the course were the junior women in the 6000m event.
In the field was Australia’s best junior distance athlete with new under-18 national record holder over the 3000m event Amy Bunnage looking to earn her Australian singlet for Bathurst.
Bunnage wasted not a moment to show the field she is the one to beat leading from gun to tape to dominate and show the world that she may well be one of our best chances for a medal next month.
Behind Bunnage was a queensland 1-2 punch with 16-year-olds Gabrielle Schmidt and Aspen Anderson working well together before Victoria’s Gabrielle Vincent stormed home to edge out Anderson for that third automatic spot.
Amy Bunnage wins the Women’s U20 race at the @WABathurst23 trials, as Gabby Schmidt and Gabrielle Vincent place second in third to round out the automatic spots on the Australian Team in Bathurst.#ThisIsAthleticspic.twitter.com/JqjzJf4Zmi
— Athletics Australia (@AthsAust) January 14, 2023
“Im very happy to make the team” Bunnage said
“Im very excited to put my foot in with the best”.
All athletes who finished between fourth and sixth will now wait for selectors to make their final decisions on who will be joining the automatic qualifiers.
Originally published as Athletes guarantee their selection for Australia’s first ever home world championship next month in Bathurst
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