ATHLETICS: Up and coming walking wunderkind Dane Bird-Smith (Qld) has finished a remarkable 11th in the men’s 20km race walk on debutat the IAAF World Championships and earlier in the day Zoe Buckman (ACT) won her 1500m heat with a great performance.

Taking it up to the more experienced talent in the race, Bird-Smith (21) a graduate of Athletics Australia’s Under 17 and Under 19 Development Squads sat comfortably in the chase pack as they came through 5km in a time if 20:31 behind then leader Takumi Saito (JPN, sixth, 1:22:09). Bird-Smith moved up through the ranks at 10km and 15km to sit 14th (40:54) and 12th (1:01:35) at each stage respectively, before watching leader Erick Barrondo (GUA) get disqualified as they approached the stadium.

Edging him again closer to the front as a result, the 2010 IAAF World Junior Championships representative was unable to crack the top-ten but comfortably completed one final lap of the track to stop the clock and finish in 1:23:06. 

“For a debut that’s unbelievable. I had a look at the rankings last night just to check things out and I was ranked 38th and I finished 11th so I am absolutely stoked to place where I have. Some of these guys are so well conditioned coming into this event and I’m just the new go breaking into the senior ranks so to take a few scalps like I have is a big relief and something I am so proud of,” Bird-Smith said. 

Bird-Smith is coached by his father David Smith, a two-time Olympian, who at the 1980 Games here in Moscow was disqualified from the event and did not enter the stadium.  

“I can’t wait to see my Dad and let him know. He has a faster time than me, but he hasn’t come into the stadium here and it’s always good to get one up on the old man,” Bird-Smith joked. 

“He’s my coach and we have a great relationship. He was out there today on the water station, giving me ice and drinks, and I can’t thank him enough for getting me to the line here.” 

Delivering the host nation their first gold medal, Aleksandr Ivanov (RUS) was first to cross the line in a time of 1:20:58 (PB), with Ding Chen (CHN, second, 1:21:09) and Miguel Lopez (ESP, third, 1:21:21) set to share the podium with him.  

Bird-Smith’s compatriot Rhydian Cowley (Vic), who is also making his first appearance with the Australian Flame, crossed the line 50th in a time of 1:33:35. 

On the track, Alex Rowe (Vic) finished 6th in his men’s 800m semi-final to finish 13th overall on debut at the IAAF World Championships, while Lara Tamsett (NSW) did not finish the final of the women’s 10,000m after withdrawing with 15 laps to go. 

Rowe’s time of 1:45.80 for 6th is just 0.36 away from the personal best he set in Oordegem (BEL) last month to qualify for the Australian Flame team. The second fastest ever by an Australian at the IAAF World Championships and the highest ever placing, the performance gives the 21-year-old great confidence as he returns to Australia to begin preparation for a tilt at qualifying for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. 

“I’m very happy with how I backed up. It’s another time under 1:46 and that’s good. It is strange though, I said that my goal coming here was to make the semi-final and I have done that but now all I want is more,” Rowe, who is coached by Justin Rinaldi, said. 

“I found myself a little bit back coming through to the bell because they went out very quick so I decided that I needed to have a crack on the back straight or I was no chance for the top-four, let alone the top-two. I didn’t have the legs to finish it off this year but am proud of myself for having a go and not just sitting at the back and letting it go.” 

Rounding out the Australians in action on Day 2 was Dani Samuels (NSW) in the women’s discus final, with the 2009 world champion placing 10th with a throw of 62.42m. Opening with a 59.17m throw, Samuels hit her best mark in round two before fouling on her third attempt to miss the opportunity for three more throws. Understandably very disappointed by the result, Samuels was unable to recapture the 62.85m she threw to qualify for the final tonight Sandra Perkovic (CRO) won the event with a throw of 67.99m.   

Buckman wins her heat to progress to semi-final

The IAAF World Championships campaign of Zoe Buckman (ACT) opened in sensational fashion, with the 24-year-old outclassing the field in heat two of the women’s 1500m to win in 4:06.99. 

Advancing to the semi-finals to be held on Tuesday evening local time as the third fastest, Buckman’s performance continues an impressive run of success for the University of Oregon alumni after she delivered a strong 4th in a very tactical affair at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games late last month. 

Buckman, who is coached by Nic Bideau, was proud of her performance, and excited that she could improve on her round one performance from the London 2012 Olympic Games where she was forced to endure the wait to find out if she would advance on time from her heat.

“I treated the race like it was training. That’s what I have done all year. I think I was a bit more nervous than normal given that it is a championship environment and I expect more from myself but I managed to get control of that in the call room and come out and run well,” Buckman said.

“I thought I was in with a chance when I got out of the box on the curve. I am getting better at reading races and that allowed me to spot my opportunity to come up the inside and have a crack. It gives me confidence, now I have the result to sit alongside thefact that I am in shape.”

Buckman’s time in the heat was the fastest ever by an Australian at the IAAF World Championships, and the performance has her on track to eclipse Australia’s best ever result for a female in the event at 17th. If she progresses to the final, she will be the first Australian woman to do so at either an Olympic Games or IAAF World Championships since 1996.

Competing in heat three of the women’s 100m, Melissa Breen (ACT) joined Buckman on start lists for the morning session of Day 2 in Moscow.

Surging out of lane one, Breen clocked 11.47 (w: -0.5) to record her fastest time in Europe this year, but was unable to advance. She will now turn her attention to the women’s 200m on Thursday 15 August.

“I’m happy with how I handled warm up, and I think it's the best race I’ve had over here this year,” Breen said.

“I can take a lot away from this for the 200m. I focused on my race and wasn't worried about where I have come from to get here and that’s important heading into the next event. I’m here and I’m racing and that’s great.”

Competition continues at the IAAF World Championships Monday, with Benn Harradine (Qld) and Julian Wruck (Qld) competing in Qualifying Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ respectively in the men’s discus. Lauren Boden (ACT) and Tristan Thomas (Tas) will fly the flag on track in Round 1 of the women’s and men’s 400m hurdles.

Athletics Australia