The Australian star was born in the London Diamond League on Sunday night.
Adam Spencer had never competed on a stage as important as the Diamond League until he stepped on the start line of the men’s 1500 meters at the London Stadium, before destroying his skills with a time of 4.97 seconds to take the Budapest national championship and Paris 2024 eligible.
The 21-year-old from Melbourne was not booked in the Diamond League until about 5.30pm yesterday.
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Australia’s Commonwealth Games gold medalist Oliver Hoare pulled out with a hip problem, prompting Australian coach Nic Bideau to pick up his phone and call Spencer who, conveniently, was already in London.
Spencer, who has a year left at a US college in Wisconsin, ran a grueling race that saw 12 of the entrants dip under three minutes and 32 seconds.
She finished 12th in 3:31.81, smashing her personal best of 3:36.78 and qualifying herself for the world championships, starting on August 19, as well as the Paris Olympics.
He also moved into fourth on the Australian men’s 1500-metre all-time list
“I feel really good. I can’t believe it happened,” Spencer told Wide World of Sports.
“I think I knew it was coming. I’ve been unlucky in other races. I ran 3:37 in April and got cut with a lap to go, I ran 3:36 a few weeks ago and it was a whirlwind of speed. I knew a PB was coming, but I didn’t think it would be that big.”
Spencer has produced outstanding results this year, running personal bests in the 800 meters, 1500 meters, outdoor mile and indoor mile.
“It’s all coming together at the moment,” he said.
“It’s been a good year so far and I hope to continue.
“If I get selected I will do 100 percent (for the international competition). This has been on my mind for a while now. I have to wait for the selection, but at the moment it looks good.”
Spencer was, and still is, entered in the British Milers Club race scheduled for Wednesday – and tackling two middle-distance races in four days is a lot to ask.
But he didn’t hesitate when the Diamond League carrot was dangled in front of him.
“I got the call and thought, ‘I can’t pass this opportunity up; it’s something I might never get again,'” Spencer said.
“So I had trouble going.”
Fellow Australian Stewart McSweyn, a 2021 Tokyo Olympics finalist, finished sixth in the same race, clocking 3:31.42. The Tasmanian had already raced in the world championships, but met the qualification for Paris 2024 for the first time in the London Diamond League.
Australia’s Catriona Bisset produced an exceptional performance in the women’s 800 metres, breaking her own world record with a time of 1:57.78 for fourth place. The 29-year-old had already run the world championships, but he won his first race at the Paris Olympics in the London race.
Australian cult hero Matt Denny finished second in the men’s discus, throwing 66.77 metres. He is still looking for his first race at Paris 2024 but has already been selected as a world champion.
Australian golden girl Nina Kennedy impressed in the women’s event, registering a distance of 4.71 meters for fourth place and qualifying for Paris 2024. She is eligible to compete in the world championships as wild champion, having won the Diamond League women’s title last year.
Australian long jumper Brooke Buschkuehl, who has already been selected for the world championships, continued her preparation for the Budapest major with a jump of 6.72 meters, finishing second.
Competing for the first time since May 21, Australia’s Joel Baden finished ninth in the men’s high jump with a leap of 2.16 meters. The 2016 Olympian has already nailed the world championship entry standard and now has a shot at the Paris 2024 benchmark.
In the women’s 4x100m race at the London Diamond League, the Australian team of Ebony Lane, Bree Masters, Kristie Edwards and Ella Connolly finished fifth in a time of 43.46.
And in the men’s 4x100m relay, the Australian team made up of—Lachlan Kennedy, Jacob Despard, Christopher Ius and Jake Penny stopped the clock at 38.62 for sixth place.
The Diamond League season will continue in Zurich on August 31, the end of the international competition
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