Ryan Gregson has become the first Australian man to make the 1500m final in 40 years

RYAN Gregson could retire today and be happy. But instead he still has some unfinished business after becoming the first Australian man to make an Olympic 1500m final for 40 years.

Australia's Ryan Gregson is through to the 1500m final. Picture: Brett Costello

RYAN Gregson could retire today and be happy.

But instead he still has some unfinished business after becoming the first Australian man to make an Olympic 1500m final for 40 years.

Graham Crouch finished eighth at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and he will be in the stands of Rio’s Olympic Stadium to see Gregson continue Australia’s rich tradition in the event.

Two of the sport’s all-time greats, Herb Elliott and John Landy, are already in the history books with gold and bronze medals respectively.

After years of frustration with his body, Gregson is finally delivering on the promise that saw him break the Australian record as a 20-year-old.

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Ryan Gregson charged home to automatically qualify for the final. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“It is a relief, I guess,” Gregson said. “Making an Olympic final, if I was to retire tomorrow I feel like I have been a success.

“After breaking the Australian record in 2010, it’s been a while between drinks before I had a really, really good performance again so that’s a lifetime achievement just there.

“’I’m really, really happy to make the final, now I can do something big in two days time.”

Gregson ran a brilliantly calculated race, running on hard over the final 100m to finish fourth and gain an automatic place in Sunday’s final, clocking 3min40.02sec.

“I didn’t have concerns, I thought early on we were a bit slower than the first heat,” he said.

“Initially I thought we would get seven through and then I realised it would be more like five so I knew I had to make no bad moves in the last lap and I didn’t.

“When you’re running that fast, any bad move and your race is over, I was patient and didn’t make any mistakes and it paid off.”

The 26-year-old, a semi-finalist at the London Olympics, is brimming with confidence after having a perfect preparation for the first time in his career.

“That (semi-final) is a huge tick just there but the way I am running, I came second in my heat, fourth in the semi, I think anything inside the top eight is a realistic possibility,” Gregson said.

“And once you are in the top eight you’re only half-a-second off being in contention for the medals.

“So really if I am maybe a bit further up, move a bit further up in the back straight and be close in contention (on the home turn) then pin the ears back, whip a little harder in the straight and who knows.

“I know I have really got a good finish when everything is going well, I have had a perfect preparation for the first time in my life and this is what I can do when I go in healthy.”

Ryan Gregson was in an awkward spot midway through the race. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Elliott broke the 1500m world record in winning gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics while Landy finished third in Melbourne in 1956.

In the women’s javelin throw final Kathryn Mitchell found herself in the silver medal position early in the competition but unfortunately she was unable to hold ground, sliding down to finish sixth.

The Victorian produced her best attempt of the final, 64.36m, with her second throw which put her firmly in the medal hunt.

Unfortunately she followed that up with two fouls and then could only manage 63.02m with her last throw.

Croatia’s Sara Kolak set a new national record of 66.18m to win gold from South Africa’s Sunette Viljoen (64.92m) with Czech Barbora Spotakova third (64.80m).

In the men’s shot put final Victoria’s Damien Birkinhead finished 10th with a best throw of 20.45m.

American Ryan Crouser took the gold with a new Olympic record of 22.52m.

Originally published as Ryan Gregson has become the first Australian man to make the 1500m final in 40 years