Zatopek:10 — Aussie distance star Stewart McSweyn dominates with 10,000m personal best

RUNNING machine Stewart McSweyn has gone back to back in the Zatopek:10, producing a 15-second personal best in the gruelling 10,000m race to stamp himself as Australia’s best distance runner.

Stewart McSweyn wins his second Zatopek:10 in a dominant personal best performance. Picture: Athletics Australia/Twitter

Last year he was the surprise packet, this time it was all about confirmation.

King Island’s Stewart McSweyn has been tagged Australia’s next distance star after a stunning 12 months which started with victory in last year’s Zatopek:10.

In that race he came from nowhere over the final lap to upstage race favourite Patrick Tiernan.

Tonight it was McSweyn who started the red-hot favourite but this time there were no surprises with the Tasmanian dominating the race from the halfway mark.

The King of King Island!! Stewy McSewyn takes out the men’s 10,000m at Zatopek. pic.twitter.com/d1Yeg52Hkr

— Athletics Australia (@AthsAust) December 13, 2018

BREAKING: King Island’s Stewart McSweyn is your back to back Zatopek 10 winner, clocking a personal best and new #athstas 10,000m record in 27:50.89! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZjRnirE2vJ

— Athletics Tasmania (@AthsTas) December 13, 2018

The 23-year-old produced a 15-second personal best for the 10,000m, winning in 27min50.89sec from Victorian Jack Rayner (28:12.07sec).

But he fell short of the pre-race aim of going under the Australian record (27:24.95sec) which was set by Ben St Lawrence back in 2011.

“I’m very happy, the conditions were a bit harder as there was a lot of wind,” McSweyn said.

“I thought maybe if everything went well I could get close to that national record but I think the conditions were a bit tough so I’ll have to wait for another day to have a good dip at it.

“It’s a 15-second PB and I ran my last PB at Oslo Diamond League so to run a PB here was pretty special.

“It shows that I’m in good form and I just have to keep that momentum going forward to try and step it up again in 2019.”

Zatopek 10
Men 10000m
Stewart McSweyn 27:50.83 PB pic.twitter.com/Ca74SpdEfC

— Y (陸上長距離) (@yrdbki) December 13, 2018

McSweyn became the first Australian winner to go back-to-back in the Zatopek since Steve Moneghetti in the early 1990s.

After claiming his first national 10,000m title last year, the Tasmanian proceeded to break his PB in all distances from 1500m upwards while also more than holding his own on the European circuit.

He finished fifth in the 5000m and 11th in the 10,000m at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

McSweyn stunned in last year’s Zatopek:10. Picture: Getty Images

In the women’s event, marathoner Sinead Diver may have talked herself into a change of events.

The 41-year-old Irish-born mum arrived at the Zatopek not knowing if she was suited to 10,000m on the track but came away with her first Australian title and a new perspective for next year’s world championships in Doha.

Japan’s Hitomi Niiya was a class above the field and took victory in 31min32.50sec with Diver easily the first local home although she fell a second off the automatic qualifying time for the world championships, clocking 31:50.98sec.

“Coming down the straight my legs just wouldn’t go any faster, I did my best but I’m disappointed I just missed it,” Diver said.

“I just wanted to see if this (10,000m) was an option and I think after tonight it is. If I had another go I think I could break 31:50.

新谷選手と横田コーチおめでとうございます！ Congrats to Hitomi Niiya and coach Masato Yokota on her 31:32.50 win at the Zatopek:10. Onwards and upwards. pic.twitter.com/QAMfFsDUpZ

— Japan Running News (@JRNHeadlines) December 13, 2018

“I thought if I am near the standard I wouldn’t mind doing this because it’s going to be so hot in Doha and I don’t fancy doing the marathon there.

“So it would be great to do this and I have never done a track race at a major championships.”

Diver, who only took up running eight years ago, smashed the Melbourne Marathon race record in October and the road event remains her focus for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“I prefer the road and it will be the marathon definitely in Tokyo, that’s my preferred distance and I would love to do the marathon at the Olympics,” she said.

There was no surprise with Niiya claiming the victory given she finished fifth in the 10,000m at the 2013 world championships in Moscow.

The 30 year-old then disappeared for four years, and even announced her retirement, before deciding to return for her hometown Olympics with the trip to Melbourne part of her comeback plan.