He is now the second-fastest Australian of all time, and only Darren Clark’s Australian record of 44.38 in the semi-final of Seoul 1988 has been quicker by an Aussie at the Olympics. Clark was fourth in Seoul and Los Angeles 1984.  

Drawn inside world championship bronze medallist Quincy Hall (USA), Reece went out hard and was beside Hall down the back straight and led by a few meters into the home straight. 

Reece tied up in the last 40 meters but he held it together to qualify comfortably. 

“That's my race plan to go out hard,” Reece said. 

“So I came into the home straight and I was a bit further in front than I thought. I looked and saw Quincy and then because of my lookover, my form kind of deteriorated, but I’m through to the semis, so that's all that really matters.”

Reece suffered a hamstring injury at the Australian Championships in April, but managed to get back in shape and run well in Europe. Coming into Paris 2024, the Brisbane athlete had a season-best of 45.18 seconds and a personal best of 44.79 when he won silver at the 2023 World University Games.

The semi-finals are at 3:35am on Tuesday 6 August AEST.

Gutsy runs from 800m athletes

Also on the track  800m runners Abbey Caldwell and Claudia Hollingsworth raced bravely in the semi-finals 

Abbey almost forced her way into the final finishing fifth in semi-final one in a time of 1:58.52.

It was a gutsy and impressive run from the 23-year-old. This was her third hard race in three days, after she had to come through the repechage round.

Running from the inside lane she was near the tail of the field for the first lap and when the pace came on down the back straight she didn’t panic and stayed in contact. 

She stayed in contact around the final bend and looked for a way through the pack. She had to take the inside aight the inside line was her only option. She picked off a few but got checked briefly and couldn’t pick off any more.   

“It sounds so cliche, but it really is a childhood dream and to be able to go out there and actually execute and put yourself as a competitor, rather than just getting onto the track,” Abbey said.

In semi-final three, Claudia couldn’t reproduce her great heat run and finished seventh in 2:01.51. 

“I think I lacked a bit of confidence there and sort of got swept up,” Claudia said.

“I guess I wasn't in the position I wanted and just made a stupid mistake, like coming down the first straight and I just stepped back, went out and went again,” she said.

She sat back early and was positioned well off the inside rail but when the pace came with 250 metres to go she didn’t have the same spark in her legs. The 19-year-old was the youngest of the 24 semi-finalists and the youngest in her race by two years.

Andrew Reid