Stewart McSweyn shattered Craig Mottram’s 17-year-old Oceania 2000m record, clocking 4:48.77 at the Brussels Diamond League meet last Friday.
He crushed Mottram’s previous national record from 2006 by nearly two seconds.
Athletics headlines across Europe to the America’s screamed, “The King of King Island is back!”
The 22-year-old Norwegian Olympic 1500-metre champion, Jakob Ingebrigtsen won and made history when he set a new world record for the 2000 metres, breaking Hicham El Guerrouj’s record from 1999 by 1.6 secs.
In the same race, Reynold Kipkorir Cheruiyot of Kenya secured second place with a time of 4:48.14, ranking him at #5 all-time.
McSweyn claimed third place in 4:48.77, ranking him at #7 all-time.
“I’m very happy with the race tonight. I put myself in a good spot and fought hard against a world-class field in the last few laps,” he said.
“To break any national record is a huge honour, so I’m very happy with tonight’s result, and it gives me a lot of confidence leading into the Diamond League final next week in Eugene, US,” McSweyn told Athletics Australia.
“I also had a few interruptions earlier this year with injury, but I stayed the course throughout the season.
“Even though it was a tough race, it was great to finally get a result that reflects the work I’ve put in this year. I’ve got one more track race in Eugene for the finals, and then I hope I can produce this level of racing again in Latvia at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in the 5k.”
The rarely run 2,000m is not on the Olympic or World Championships program and the Diamond League is an annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions comprising 14 of the best invitational athletics meetings culminating in the finals in Eugene Oregon (16th – 17th September). The top ten for 1500m and long-distance events qualify for the final and compete in a winner-takes-all competition and be crowned Wanda Diamond League Champion in their chosen discipline. Each champion is awarded a prestigious “Diamond Trophy”, $US 30,000 prize money and a wild card for the World Athletics Championships (certain conditions apply).
Australia will field a star-studded lineup at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, led by Jessica Hull and Stewart McSweyn. The 14-strong team boasts international experience and will compete from September 30 to October 1. Stewie will contest the Men’s 5000m and Craig Mottram’s 13:20 Australian record on the roads of Carlsbad in 2005 remains within McSweyn’s reach.
“McSweyn, who holds the area 3000m record (7:28.02) – could potentially take aim at Nick Willis’ 3:56.57, the fastest road mile ever by an athlete from Oceania,” World Athletics.org said.