Brett Robinson (Vic) is determined to continue his impressive Australian Athletics Tour form when he duels in the men’s 5000m at Round 5 of the IAAF Diamond League in Birmingham (GBR) this Sunday 7 June.
The national 10,000m champion after storming home for victory at the Zatopek:10 in December, the 24-year-old backed up the performance early in 2015 with wins in the men’s 5000m at the Briggs Athletics Classic and IAAF Melbourne World Challenge before holding his own against the best middle distance runners from across the globe at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
“I couldn’t have had a much better start to the year. I felt like I was a heavy hitter during the Australian season, being able to get a few good wins while doing a high work load to make sure that I’m fit and running well when it counts in August. It gave me confidence of what is to come in the next few months,” Robinson said.
“I have been training in Mt Laguna recently which is about forty-five minutes outside of San Diego. We had a really good group up there, we were just a bit unlucky with the weather this year, but I think all of the American altitude bases were hit. Unfortunately, I was a little bit sick before getting there and it affected my training for the first few weeks. I wasn’t back to where I wanted to be until last week but I have been able to get good work done since Ostrava and I feel like I am back to my normal winning self.”
Robinson’s start follows an impressive showing from his Melbourne Track Club training partners at the Prefontaine Classic last weekend, with Collis Birmingham (Vic, 5000m) and Zoe Buckman (Vic, 1500m) both crossing the line in times quicker than the required qualification standard for the IAAF World Championships in Beijing (CHN).
“Eugene last weekend was good for the group, Collis and Zoe both ran qualifiers after missing some of the past year with injury which was great. Ryan Gregson also ran a pretty decent race and will only improve from there. I am ready to do the same, to run well, and hopefully the conditions will allow me to run fun fast and be very competitive. At the end of the day I didn’t come here to take part, I came here to take over,” Robinson added.
“I think the main different when you go to a European race is that you know that ninety percent of the time there is going to be good pace that will give you the chance to run quick. These races are always highly competitive and you have to learn how to compete with the best in the world if you plan to one day be one of the best with them.”
Beijing 2015 will, pending his selection, provide Robinson with the chance to advance on his start in the men’s 5000m in Moscow (RUS) two years ago. Despite his result being better than he could have hoped, his performance in the final after progressing through the heat convincingly is something he is determined to improve upon.
“I learned so much in 2013 at the World Championships. I exceeded everyone’s expectations, including my own, while I was there. It was a great experience and I now know what it does take to get through the heat and into the final. I wasn’t good enough mentally once I got to the final. I felt like the job was done and didn’t turn to the final ready to compete. This year I’ll turn up for the heat and then again for the final. I want to be one of the heavy hitters of 2015,” Robinson said.
Competition in Birmingham (GBR) will also welcome Birmingham (5000m) and Buckman (1500m), as well as Olympic champion Sally Pearson (Qld, 100m hurdles), Commonwealth champion Dani Samuels (NSW, discus) and Madeline Heiner (NSW), who is enjoying career best form with personal bests in the 3000m steeplechase and 5000m this season. All of Pearson, Samuels and Heiner will also start at the Golden Gala in Rome (ITA) on Thursday.
The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Kelsey-Lee Roberts (ACT) will open her international season in the women’s javelin this weekend, as Heidi See (NSW) looks to edge closer to the women’s 1500m qualifier for the IAAF World Championships after improving her personal best in the event only days ago.
The IAAF Diamond League then moves to Oslo (NOR), with Glasgow 2014 starters Brittany McGowan (Qld, 800m), Melissa Duncan (Vic, 1500m) and Emily Brichacek (ACT, 5000m), amongst others, set to start.
June 4: IAAF Diamond League (Round 4) – Rome (ITA)
100m hurdles: Sally Pearson (Qld)
3000m steeplechase: Madeline Heiner (NSW)
Discus throw: Dani Samuels (NSW)
For more information on the IAAF Diamond League, including entry lists and event timetables,
please click here.
June 4: Adrian Martinez Classic – Concord (USA)
Mile: David McNeill (Vic), Genevieve LaCaze (Qld)
June 6: IAAF World Race Walking Challenge – La Coruna (ESP)
20km walk: Dane Bird-Smith (Qld)
June 6: Music City Distance Carnival – Nashville (USA)
800m: Brittany McGowan (Qld), Hugh Nicklason (Tas)
5000m: Emily Brichacek (ACT)
June 6: New Balance Twilight Series – Boston (USA)
1500m: Michael Roeger (SA), Deon Kenzie (Tas)
June 7: IAAF Diamond League (Round 5) – Birmingham (GBR)
1500m: Zoe Buckman (Vic)
5000m: Brett Robinson (Vic), Collis Birmingham (Vic)
100m hurdles: Sally Pearson (Qld)
3000m steeplechase: Madeline Heiner (NSW)
Discus throw: Dani Samuels (NSW)
For more information on the IAAF Diamond League, including entry lists and event timetables,
please click here.
June 8: Harry Jerome Classic – Vancouver (CAN)
1500m: Heidi See (NSW)
June 8: Josef Odlozil Memorial Meet – Prague (CZE)
Javelin: Kelsey-Lee Roberts (ACT)
June 10-13: 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships – Eugene (USA)
For more information on this event, please click here.
June 10: Victorian International Track Classic – Victoria (CAN)
1500m: Heidi See (NSW)
June 11: IAAF Diamond League (Round 6) – Oslo (NOR)
800m: Brittany McGowan (Qld)
1500m: Zoe Buckman (Vic), Melissa Duncan (Vic)
5000m: Emily Brichacek (ACT)
Mile: Ryan Gregson (NSW)
For more information on the IAAF Diamond League, including entry lists and event timetables,
please click here.
June 12: American Milers High Performance Meet – Indianapolis (USA)
1500m: Emily Brichacek (ACT), Hugh Nicklason (Tas)
June 13: IAAF Diamond League (Round 7) – New York (USA)
100m hurdles: Sally Pearson (Qld)
3000m steeplechase: Genevieve LaCaze (Vic)
Discus throw: Dani Samuels (NSW)
For more information on the IAAF Diamond League, including entry lists and event timetables,
please click here.
June 14: Portland Track Festival – Portland (USA)
5000m: David McNeill (Vic)
June 14: City of London Road Mile – London (GBR)
Mile: Zoe Buckman (Vic), Collis Birmingham (Vic)
June 14: Mohammed VI d’Athletisme – Rabat (MAR)
800m: Selma Kajan (NSW)
June 25: Sollentuna GP – Sollentuna (SWE)
800m: Alex Rowe (Vic), Jordan Williamsz (Vic)
1500m: Sam McEntee (WA)
Javelin: Kelsey-Lee Roberts (ACT)
June 27: Bauhaus Gala – Mannheim (GER)
Pole vault: Alana Boyd (Qld), Nina Kennedy (WA), Liz Parnov (WA)
June 27: International Meeting di Nivelles – Nivelles (BEL)
800m: Joshua Ralph (NSW)
1500m: Melissa Duncan (Vic), Brittany McGowan (Qld)
June 27: British Milers’ Club – Watford (GBR)
800m: Luke Mathews (Vic)
June 28: Finnish Athletics Carnival – Pihtipudas – (FIN)
Javelin: Kelsey-Lee Roberts (ACT)
June 30: 20th European Athletics Classic – Velenje (SLO)
200m: Ella Nelson (NSW)
