ATHLETICS: A strong line up of Aussies will compete at Olympic stadium on Wednesday, with Ash Moloney and Cedric Dubler leading the charge on the first day of the decathlon. Two gold medals will be on offer for the Australians, as Genevieve Gregson contests her third Olympic final in the 3000m Steeplechase and Peter Bol becomes the first Australian in 53 years to race an 800m final at the Olympics.
Morning session: 10am – 1.30pm
The most grueling event on the Olympic track and field schedule begins on Wednesday, with the decathlon - an event comprised of six field events and four track events over two days - and the Australians are set to put on a show.
Australia hasn’t had a top eight in this event since 1948 but this could well be the Games with two athletes in the mix. Moloney and Dubler are no.1 and no.3 on the Australian All-time list and with depth across all events. Both from Queensland and both coached by Eric Brown.
Former world junior champion (2018) and Australian record holder, Moloney is the youngest in the field at 21. An all-rounder with a record of 8492 points, Moloney holds a personal best of 45.82 in the 400m, and 10.36 seconds in the 100m which rivals many at a national championship level. He also recently set a new personal best of 5.05m in the pole vault.
Dubler was 14th at the Rio 2016 Olympics with 8024 points and 11th at the 2019 World Championships (8101). In December 2020 he set his personal best of 8,367 points when Moloney set the Australian Record.
Dubler, 26, has recently come unstuck with a hamstring injury, but it would be unjust to discount his grit and determination to succeed. Even with years of experience on him, the 26-year-old has set new personal bests within the last year in the long jump, with a wind assisted 7.90m result, as well as 13.29 in the shot put and 46.01 in the discus throw late last year.
The decathlon begins with the 100m at 10am AEST, with the long jump and shot put taking place throughout the morning session.
Outside of the decathlon, Nick Hough will make his second appearance on the track in two days, coming back for the 110m hurdles semi finals, following a sensational 13.57 seconds for third in a stacked heat at his first Olympic Games.
Evening session: 7.30pm – 10pm
Off the back of a thrilling morning session, our decathletes will be back in action for the high jump and 400m later in the evening but keep an eye out for the two fastest ever Australians across three and a half laps in the women’s 1500m semi final at 8pm AEST.
Linden Hall became the first Australian to break the 4-minute barrier in the 1500m earlier this year, stealing the record off Jessica Hull, who boasts an impressive personal best of 4.00.12, and the two will line up for a chance to make the final. Hall is seeking redemption after missing the Rio final by one place, while Hull will be looking to not only reclaim the record but become an Olympic finalist upon her debut.
Genevieve Gregson will line up for her third Olympic final in as many Games, when she toes the line in the women’s 3000m Steeplechase final at 9pm AEST. The Queenslander holds the Australian record of 9:14.28 which he set in 2016 in Paris and came so close to her PB in her last race in Monaco before she travelled to Tokyo with a 9.17.81. In career-best form at the age of 31, Gregson will be one to watch.
This week, Peter Bol became a household name as he broke two Australian records in two days, and became the first Australian in 53 years to qualify for the 800m final and on Wednesday night at 10.05pm, he will line up for a shot at Olympic glory.
Sascha Ryner
