John Salvado / AAP News
Image: Dean Lewis / AAP News
The Athletics Australia star has put in a stellar run ahead of the upcoming Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Australian middle-distance star Oliver Hoare has received a major confidence boost after finishing an impressive second in the Bowerman Mile at the venue which will host the upcoming world championships.
Hoare stripped almost a second off his personal best by storming home to finish runner-up to Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen at the Diamond League meet at Hayward Field in Oregon.
The Australian’s time of three minutes 50.65 seconds bettered his previous PB set a year ago at the same venue.
“Hayward has been a great track and I’ve had some great memories running here and competing,” said the Tokyo Olympics 1500m finalist.
“Of course, I wanted to win but placing second and being competitive in the Diamond League gives me the confidence that I can do it at the world championships (in July) and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.”
The peerless Ingebrigsten led from the front to claim a comprehensive win in 3:49.76, while Hoare led home a star-studded chasing pack that also included world champion Timothy Cheruiyot and fellow Kenyan Abel Kipsang.
“I learned that I should position myself better to not be too far back from the leader,” said Hoare.
“It’s awesome to come away with a PB at any time.
“I’m getting close to sub-3:50 and would love to hit that milestone soon.”
Fellow Birmingham Commonwealth Games Australian Team Member and former University of Oregon runner Jessica Hull was fifth in the women’s 1500m in 3:59.31, her second-fastest time over the distance.
But she was no match for two-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya who claimed the win in a world-leading 3:52.59.
In only her second meet of the year, Olympic silver medallist Nicola Olyslagers (nee McDermott) was fifth in the women’s high jump with 1.90m.
Brett Robinson and Matt Ramsden were sixth and seventh in a men’s 5000m won by 21-year-old Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi in a flying 12:50.05.
