ATHLETICS: Genevieve LaCaze and Madeline Hills have become the first Australians to qualify for the final of the women’s 3000m steeplechase on an exciting second morning at the Olympic Stadium in which Morgan Mitchell and Anneliese Rubie also reached the semi-finals of the women’s 400m.
LaCaze showed great strength over the last 400m to finish third in her heat and automatically qualify for the final in a time of 9:26.25.
Australian champion Hills also qualified with a season-best performance in her heat to give Australia two competitors in Monday’s final.
Hills finished fifth in a time of 9:24.16 to be among the fastest finishers outside the top three in each heat.
Australia’s Victoria Mitchell finished 10th in the same heat as Hills in a season-best time of 9:39.40, but missed a place in the final.
In an eventful heat that saw one of the medal favourites, Ethiopia’s Etenesh Diro, fall at the water jump and run the last two and half laps with just one shoe, LeCaze was one of three runners to kick clear on the back straight to automatically progress to the final.
“I’m just overwhelmed,” LaCaze said of reaching the final.
“It was a messy race.
“I was just talking to myself in my head and saying stay calm, don’t panic, don’t get anxious, because people are stepping on my heels, I’m stepping on people’s heels, at the water jump I landed on top of a girl’s back, I was being piggy-backed.
“I think that’s the event. When I did my PB in Stockholm it was one of the messiest races I’ve been in so I definitely said to myself prepare for the most brutal nine and a half minutes of your life.”
Hills only returned to competition in 2013 after a seven-year break with her Olympic dream first sparked by a 10km fun run.
“I entered a 10km fun run and I was really proud of finishing it, I remember my now-husband giving me a big hug and I was nearly 10 minutes faster than I was then over 10k,” Hills said.
“He just couldn’t believe I ran as fast as I did … and it all sort of snowballed from there.”
There was more cause for celebration for Australia in today’s morning session when Anneliese Rubie and Morgan Mitchell reached the semi-finals of the women’s 400m.
Competing in their first Olympics, Mitchell ran a measured race and at one stage was fifth at the top of the straight before showing great strength to run home into second place in a time of 51.30 to automatically qualify for the semi-finals.
“I was quite shocked actually because it didn’t feel like a 51.30,” Mitchell said of her time that was a fraction outside her personal best.
“That top bend, I knew they’d all come so I thought I’d relax and just chase them home hard.
“You always want faster but it’s a heat. If I could replicate that time or go quicker in the semis it’s just a bonus.
Mitchell said competing in the Olympics for the first time was a dream come true.
“It’s another box ticked, it’s amazing,” Mitchell said.
“There were a few Aussies at the start line cheering me on and stuff so that was really cool
“I don’t even think its hit me yet, it’s hard to believe you are running in the Olympics and I am grateful for this opportunity.”
Rubie faced a nervous wait before having her place in the semi-finals confirmed after she finished third in the opening heat in a season-best time of 51.92 to be among the fastest finishers outside of the automatic qualifiers.
“I had a goal of not panicking down the back straight because I know the Jamaican and Nigeria were going to start hard and then ease up at the end so I thought might catch them at the end in that last 50 and I was close, but it was still great fun out there,” Rubie said.
“I’m definitely in PB shape. If I just put the right race together I know I can drop something pretty big.
“I didn’t quite get there today, I think I cruised a little bit too much in the first half, but I’m still stoked to get a season’s best.”
The results capped a perfect morning at the track for the Australians ahead of tonight’s men’s long jump final featuring Henry Frayne and Fabrice Lapierre.
The men’s long jump final starts at 20:50 (9.50am AEST).
David Taylor
olympics.com.au
