An Australian 800m record of 1:58.78 by Melbournian Catriona Bisset has led the results of 23 Australian performances at the London Diamond League.

CATRIONA BISSET BREAKS THE AUSTRALIAN 800M RECORD

Catriona Bisset broke Charlene Rendina’s 800m record of 1:59.0, set in 1976, which is the second oldest Australian athletics record (Peter Norman holds the 200m record of 20.06 set in 1968).

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“I felt really good and a national record, I think I even kicked a little early. Lynsey (Sharp) felt me coming round and pushed me out onto lane two but, that was great. I felt so strong, coming down the back straight I feel like I still had a lot in me and it was nice to push it all the way, that was so good,” Bisset said.

The performance leads a great six months for Catriona Bisset.

  • Victorian Milers Club – 800m 1st 2:03.03 (21 March, 2019)
  • Australian Track & Field Championships –  800m 1st 2:00.48 (7 April, 2019)
  • UniSport National Championships  – 800m 1st 1:59.78 (14 April, 2019)
  • Oceania Championships – 800m 1st 2:02.16 (27 June, 2019)
  • World University Games – 800m 1st 2:01.20 (10 July, 2019)
  • London Diamond League – 800m 2nd 1:58.78 (22 July, 2019)

Speaking just after the race, Bisset said:

“I knew I had that kind of race in me just because of the winning streak. I knew if I had a quick pace maker I could take some time off some my PB and I took exactly a second off,” Bisset said.

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The time by Catriona Bisset is a Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying time (1:59.50).

In the same event, Morgan Mitchell ran a personal best time of 2:00.06, which is a World Athletics Championship qualifying time (2:00.60) and junior Carley Thomas ran 2:01.01.

In the men’s mile race Matt Ramsden destroyed his old PB, taking five seconds from his best with a time of 3:53.32 in fifth place, with Ryan Gregson finishing in 9th in a quick 3:54.54.

On Day 1 of the two day London Diamond League meet the two lead Australian performances were by Stewart McSweyn (5000m) and Kelsey-Lee Barber (Javelin).

Stewart McSweyn (King Island, Tasmania) ran 13:05.63 in the 5000m, finishing 4th and Kelsey-Lee Barber (Canberra) threw 65.85m, finishing 2nd.

The time for McSweyn is both a World Athletics Championship qualifying time (13:22.55) and a Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying time (13:13.50), the second event that McSweyn has run both an World Athletics Championship qualifying time and a Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying time after he ran 3:31.81 in the 1500m in the Monaco Diamond League nine days ago.

Australian results at the London Diamond League:

  • Stewart McSweyn – 5000m 13:05.63 (Doha/Tokyo Qualifier)
  • Patrick Tiernan – 5000m 13:12.68 PB (Doha/Tokyo Qualifier)
  • Morgan McDonald – 5000m 13:18.91 (Doha qualifier)
  • Brett Robinson – 5000m 13:39.37
  • Sam McEntee – 5000m 13:55.07
  • Jordan Gusman – 5000m DNF
  • Linden Hall – 1500m 4:04.29 (Doha qualifier)
  • Kelsey-Lee Barber – javelin 65.85 (Doha/Tokyo Qualifier)
  • Henry Smith – Long Jump 7.57m
  • Naa Anang, Riley Day, Nana Afriyie-Owusu, Kristie Edwards – 4x100m 44.04
  • Celeste Mucci – 100m Hurdes DNF
  • Matt Denny – Discus 63.25m
  • Catriona Bisset – 800m 1:58.78 PB (Doha/Tokyo Qualifier)
  • Morgan Mitchell – 800m 2:00.906 PB (Doha qualifier)
  • Carley Thomas – 800m 2:01.01 PB
  • Brooke Stratton – Long Jump 6.64m
  • Matt Ramsden – Mile 3:53.32 PB
  • Ryan Gregson – Mile 3:54.54
  • Jordan Williamsz – Mile (Pacer) – DNF
  • Natalie Rule – 5000m (Pacer) – DNF

—ENDS—