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Most Australians may not have heard of Sydneysider Oliver Hoare – but that could all change in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics.
While Australia haven’t had a big name in middle distance actions for some time, Hoare started making noise at the right time ahead of Australia’s delayed Games qualifying.
The 1500m runner was competing in New York and was in second before the last lap behind Scotsman Jake Wightman. The Australian then put his foot down and left Wightman and the rest of the competition in his wake by a dominant margin, crossing the strip in a time of 3: 32.35. For those in the know, it’s pretty quick.
In fact, the 24-year-old’s time was an Australian indoor 1,500m record and the sixth-fastest in history. In that span alone, Hoare qualifies for Tokyo by three seconds, although it doesn’t quite work that way.
Athletics Australia rules give preference to those who compete in the next Australian track and field titles in April. for selection to the Olympic Games. Given the nature of the quarantine during the pandemic, some Australians based overseas feel at a disadvantage.
“Oli doesn’t want to, and neither do the other boys, I’m sure, want to ruffle feathers at Athletics Australia whatsoever,” Hoare’s father Greg said.
“But the reality is he just can’t come back to race at the national championships in distance events that require so much aerobic training and quarantine in a tiny hotel room for 2 weeks and then be supposed to run and running world-class times. It’s not humanly possible. “
It would be a shame if Hoare couldn’t find his way into the squad, given how fast his run was. Gold at the Rio Olympics over 1500m was won in 3h50. Asked about the qualifiers, Athletics Australia media director Sascha Ryner said being abroad won’t hurt Hoare’s chances or anyone else, but the rules remain.
“In a nutshell, being abroad will not hinder an athlete’s chances of being selected for the Australian Olympic team. And indoor times are considered.
“Regarding the AA nomination policy, it says athletes must return for the Australian Track and Field Championships, but can request a bye if they cannot return.
“Since COVID-19 is an extraordinary circumstance, many athletes will be asking for exemptions.
“One thing to note about missing national championships is that if an athlete wins the national title and runs a qualifying time, they will automatically get that spot,” Ryner said.
“So if an athlete is not able to come back for the national championships, he could potentially put himself in danger.”
Giving Aussie fans more reason to be excited is that runners traditionally run faster outdoors than indoors.
The sloping surface that Hoare competed on in New York City is traditionally about four seconds slower than outdoor tracks.
So if he could do the same kind of run again – there’s no reason he couldn’t run a 3:28 or less. It is an elite endeavor, especially given that the fastest time ever on Australian soil outdoors is 3:31:25 by two-time Olympic champion and world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj.
El Guerrouj held the world indoor record at 3:31:18. Her outdoor world record is 3:26:00. That alone will give Athletics Australia a lot of food for thought to think about where overseas based athletes fit into the qualifying table.
Iconic Australian Herb Elliot was the last Australian to win gold in the 1500m at the Olympics in 1960, with no other Australian competitor having even won a place in the event since.
The Olympic trials will be held in Sydney this year from April 12-21.
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