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Riseley batting sore foot at world titles

 

Riseley batting sore foot at world titles

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AOC
Riseley batting sore foot at world titles
Australian middle distance star Jeff Riseley is fiercely determined not to let an untimely foot injury derail his world championships campaign.

ATHLETICS: Australian middle distance star Jeff Riseley is fiercely determined not to let an untimely foot injury derail his world championships campaign.

Fresh off the most consistent year of his career, Riseley felt some pain in his plantar fascia during a training run on Sunday.

Earlier in his career, the 28-year-old may well have struggled to cope with a setback at such an inopportune moment.

But he has declared himself a certain starter for the 800m heats on Saturday in Beijing.

"It's manageable and I'll be on the start-line no matter what," said Riseley, who has also qualified for the 1500m.

"It's good the 800 is first because it's what I've pretty much focused on.

"You go in with that and then, worst-case scenario if I break down and fall apart we'll deal with the mess afterwards."

Until last year the Victorian had regularly performed below his best at major championships - a record he turned around with impressive fifth places in the 800m and 1500m at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Off the back of a solid northern summer season in Europe, he had been looking to build on that in Beijing ahead of an assault on the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

"To be honest that's the most frustrating part about (getting injured on) Sunday," he said.

"I got into team camp and I was just really excited to be there, really grateful for the opportunity and just really looking forward to getting here and relaxing and getting involved in the team environment and unfortunately that part has got flipped on its head again.

"But I feel like I'm a mature athlete now and since London, working with (coach) Andrew Russell and a lot of the people at the Hawthorn footy club, I feel like I'm better prepared to deal with these sort of situations."

AAP 

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