Albie Thomas Mile REVIEW

29 March 2024

Albie Thomas Mile REVIEW

Victorian middle-distance star Abbey Caldwell and WA’s Jesse Hunt were crowned Australian Mile champions at the eighth edition of the Albie Thomas Mile hosted by Bankstown Athletics Club in Sydney last night. Jessica Hull (800m), Luke Boyes (800m), Sarah Carli (400m hurdles) and Tom Hunt (400m hurdles) were other key winners at the meet.

Leading Australian 800/1500m middle-distance star, Abbey Caldwell won the women’s mile in a race record time of 4:30.50. Relatively comfortable for the Commonwealth Games medallist who was 10 seconds outside her best. New National 10,000m record holder Lauren Ryan was second in 4:32.19, from former South Coast athlete Maudie Skyring with 4:32.53. NSW’s best was Jaylah Hancock-Cameron in a three seconds PB time of 4:32.54

The men’s mile was a terrific dual between two genuine Olympic prospects, WA’s Jesse Hunt and QLD’s Jack Anstey. Hunt, who had just missed the Olympic 1500m standard last month at this track, just held off US-based Anstey, who competed for Australia at the 2022 World Indoors and has run a 3:51 mile and Australian 1000m record in America this year. Hunt clocked 3:59.09 to Anstey’s 3:59.26. NSW’s best was 16-year-old Daniel Williams in fifth with a brilliant 4:04.39 – breaking the NSW U18 record. His time over 1500m would have been a World U20 Championships qualifier and fractionally outside his 1500m PB of 3:45.22.

Running her first 800m in nearly five years, NSW’s Jessica Hull defeated a quality field in a PB time of 2:03.02, ahead of NCAA medallist Imogen Barrett (2:03.50), and Olympic qualifier Bendere Oboya (2:05.17). In fifth, NSW’s Fleur Cooper clocked yet another world junior qualifier – 2:07.56.

There is simply no stopping UTS Norths half-miler Luke Boyes, on this occasion defeating Olympic finalist Peter Bol. Boyes’ barnstorming season over 800m has seen him clock four PBs in five races, and is now the 14th fastest in Australian history. He clocked 1:45.45 from Peter Bol (1:46.70) and Olympic 1500m qualifier Cam Myers (1:48.19).

Stuttering before the last hurdle, Sarah Carli clocked 56.50 to just hold off season revelation, Victoria’s Marli Wilkinson with 56.84. In the men’s Tom Hunt laydown another terrific run, clocking 50.53 – just 0.2 seconds outside his PB. His teenage brother, Matt, was third in his fourth PB of the season – 52.09. Josh Phillips won the 5000m in 14:04.85.

The hardworking Athletics NSW photo finish team provided splits for every athlete. Just click on your name in the Athletics Live results system.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Lauren Ryan, Abbey Caldwell and Maudie Skyring in the women’s mile (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)