By Michael Gleeson
On a night of statement performances Victorian teenager Claudia Hollingsworth and Stewart McSweyn spoke loudest.
Against the most decorated field of 800-metre runners Australia has fielded, 18-year-old Hollingsworth upstaged everyone. While McSweyn held out a world champion in what he agreed was his best win in three years and put him back among the world’s best.
Claudia Hollingsworth ran an eye-popping 800m in a star-studded field.Credit: Eddie Jim
If the depth and competition of Australian running can be distilled to one event, it’s the women’s 800m.
While other events imported overseas athletes for the Maurie Plant Meet in Albert Park on Thursday night to find serious competition for Australia’s best, the women’s 800m needed only draw from around the country.
In what could be the most competitive, and deep, generation of 800m women’s runners Australia has had, the meet was able to boast national record holder Catriona Bisset, Olympic finalist Linden Hall, Georgia Griffiths who made the 1500m final at the worlds in Oregon, former Olympic 400m runner Bendere Oboya, and Commonwealth bronze medallist Abbey Caldwell.
And rising star Hollingsworth beat them all. She could be better than them all.
Australian sprint star Rohan Browning in action in the 100m.Credit: Eddie Jim
She broke two minutes (1:59.81), setting a new personal best just a smidgen outside the Olympics qualifier. She already has two under-20 national records, became the Oceania champion last year over 1500m, has turned down tempting approaches from AFLW feeder clubs, and is only just done with year 12 at Mentone Grammar last year.
“It’s crazy, [I’m] so happy [for my] first PB since I was 16, so it has been a while since I could crack that 2:01. To go under two minutes is just crazy – I am super happy so early in the season,” Hollingsworth said.
“It was probably a national final basically, it was just crazy the depth in the Aussie runners at the moment, and to be up against those girls, it was insane to think about. I was on the start line thinking about how it was a great opportunity to try and run fast with these girls.”
Liz Clay after her impressive run.Credit: Eddie Jim
At the top of the final straight, Claudia (it’s Cloud-ia not Claw-dia) overhauled Bisset and then Caldwell, and never looked threatened.
Given what she’s already achieved in an Olympic year, at just 18, the prospect of what lies ahead – whether be it in the 800m or the 1500m – is tantalising.
“The Olympics are obviously on my mind but [I’m] definitely only taking it race by race,” she said. “I haven’t got that focus because it puts a bit of pressure on. It’s pretty crazy to do it so early on in the season, which is exciting.”
It was a night of statement performances. For McSweyn it was an emphatic “remember me? I’m back.”
Several years ago, he was mixing every race with the world’s best and seemed poised to make the move onto the dais at major champions, only to battle a period of ill-timed injuries.
Stewart McSweyn had his best win in three years in the 1500m final.Credit: Eddie Jim
In front of a good crowd of 6000 McSweyn held out British World 1500m champion Jake Wightman in the mile and delivered what he volunteered was his best win in three years.
“It’s important because you know (Wightman’s) a guy who’s going to be in the medals, he’s in every final, I think the worst he’s ever finished is 10th for the past four years so you know he’s going to be right in the mix for medals,” McSweyn said.
“If I’m able to compete with him at this time of year it shows I’m at a good level. I know he’s going to get better, I need to get better, the world is going to get better so this is just the start and I’ve got to improve from here.″
He said it was his best race win since 2021 when he won Diamond Leagues in Oslo and Brussels.
In cooling conditions not conducive to running quickly, sprint pair Rohan Browning and new national record holder Torrie Lewis delivered solid performances.
Torrie Lewis had a solid performance in the 100m final. Credit: Eddie Jim
Lewis, coming off her national record and suddenly the focus of attention, screaming kids and the competition of racing a sub-11seconds runner in Zoe Hobbs, showed maturity and composure to come second to Hobbs (11.34s) in 11.40s.
“No one cared about the times in that race. It was all about racing each other which is a lot more fun,” Lewis said.
When she crossed the line, she was met with Australian sporting royalty Dawn Fraser who, through the Australian Sporting Hall of Fame, has been Lewis’ mentor for several years.
Browning ran a workmanlike 10.34s to win in the 100m early in the night then backed winning what is for him a rare event, the 200m, in 20.8s.
“That was tough. I was disappointed with the times, they were pedestrian today but just excited to be back racing and trying to gap fields that’s the main thing. You don’t come to Melbourne to chase conditions and times,” he said.
Chasing more competition, Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Nicola Olyslagers was happy to clear 1.99m in her comfortable high jump win.
In 2021, Liz Clay was a whisker from making the 100m hurdles final at the Tokyo COVID lockout Olympics. A year later, in Eugene, Oregon, at the world championships, she broke her foot, and she has spent two years going through recovery, rehab, setback, and build-up to get back again.
On Thursday night, winning in 13.02 from Michelle Jenneke (in 13.12s) – the now veteran who is still so chiselled the hurdles look worried – announced she could yet be a candidate for Paris.
Michelle Jenneke in the 100m hurdles event.Credit: Eddie Jim
A quietly impressive performance came from little-known teenager Jess Milat in the 200m. The tall, long-striding Victorian runner is raw but looked strong, sweeping home in the last 50m to win in 23.63s.
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