ATHLETICS: Tokyo 2020 has finished for Nick Hough, with the 27-year-old clocking 13.88 seconds (w: +0.3) in his 110m hurdles semi-final to cross 7th.
The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist got out of the blocks well but clipped the first few hurdles and couldn't get into his rhythm for his normal strong finish.
The two-time Olympian progressed automatically to the penultimate round after a 13.57 in the heats yesterday, and despite having the national record of Kyle Van Der Kuyp (13.29) in his sights he was unable to achieve the mark today. Van Der Kuyp was keen to see his record go and was helping Hough in the warm-up.
“I’m happy to be an Olympic semi-finalist. It’s not the race I wanted, but I’m glad that I could get on the track and race,” Hough said.
“I wanted to find a few tenths on my heat time yesterday, but the body thought otherwise.”
“I would have had to run a massive personal best to make the final, it wasn’t to be. I gave it all I had. It’s a big year next year, then we prepare for Paris,” Hough said.
Moloney and Dubler notch up first three events in the decathlon
In scorching conditions at the Olympic Stadium the decathlon competition is underway with Australian record holder Ash Moloney and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Cedric Dubler both starting well across the first three events.
A personal best of 10.34 in the 100m was followed by a 7.64m leap in the long jump and 14.49m throw in the shot put for Moloney, placing him 3rd overall after three events with a point score of 2741 points.
Dubler, who tore his hamstring only weeks ago before recovering to start at the Olympic Games, opened his campaign with 10.89 in the short sprint, before a 7.36m long jump leap and a personal best distance of 13.35m in the shot put. He is currently ranked 17th, with 2474 points.
The decathletes will be back in action for the high jump and 400m this evening which are both strong events for the Australians. Moloney has one of the world’s fastest 400m decathlon times.
Big night for the Aussies
Under the bright lights of the Olympic Stadium 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.
Both Aussies made the semi-finals at the 2019 World Championships. Here in Tokyo Hull has been drawn in semi-final 1 and Hall in semi 2. The first 5 and the next 2 fastest advance to the 12-woman final. The last time Australia was represented in a final at this event was Atlanta 1996.
Genevieve Gregson will line up for her second Olympic 3000m Steeplechase final for the past three Games. She will be looking to improve on her ninth place finish at Rio 2016. The 31-year-old holds the Australian record of 9:14.28 which she 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. Gregson races at 9pm AEST.
Peter Bol is also in action in the final of the men’s 800m, with the two-time Olympian and national record holder the first Australian in 53 years to qualify for the medal round of the two-lap race.
The gun sounds at 10:05pm AEST and a medal is in Bol’s reach if he delivers a performance, he himself believes he is capable of.
“I told my coach that I thought I could win a medal and he said not to get ahead of yourself. We’re here, two Australian records in a row and I’m happy. I look forward to the final,” Bol said after his semi-final.
Cody Lynch
