Olli Hoare launched his assault on the Australian Athletics Championships by winning his 1500m heat and declaring he was motivated to defend the 1500m Commonwealth Games gold medal he won in Birmingham four years ago.

Hoare, who is based in the USA, cruised the final stages of his heat after doing the hard yakka early in the race to post a time of 3:39.68 in the fierce heat that gripped Sydney on Thursday afternoon.

“I wanted to feel that bit of a strain, I think just the biomechanical way to run particularly against people like Cam [Meyers] and 3:39 is jogging for these boys,” said Hoare of his approach to competing in the heat. “It’s still pretty good, it’s good for my legs and I’m getting there. I’ll wash it off and get ready for tomorrow.”

The 29-year-old New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship athlete, who won  a gold medal at January’s World Athletics Cross Country Championships alongside Jessica Hull, Linden Hall and Jack Anstey, paid tribute to the quality of athletes in the nation’s men’s 1500m ranks.

“Such an amazing talent, that field,” said Hoare, who, like Hull, signed dozens of autographs for youngsters after his race. “You have multiple [competitors] at world-class level. It feels good, I want to keep it honest; keep it consistent – even with the heat, I just feel like it’s good to get it done and dusted.”

Hoare, who won his Birmingham gold medal in a time of 3:30.12, said while his sights were firmly set on wearing the green and gold at the Glasgow Games, he was thrilled to be competing against Australia’s  domestic runners.

“Looking back on my career, just to be competing at Aussie Champs is awesome,” he said. “I’ve won Commonwealth Games; no one can take that away from me and coming  in here, seeing the young guys coming through reminds me of me, and I’m just as hungry as them.

“I’m looking forward to fighting for my position and Nationals is a qualification for that for sure.”

Hoare, who’ll also compete in the 5000m event in Sydney, said his being the reigning Commonwealth Games champion was one of the many motivations that push him.

“What pushes me is how lucky I am to do what I do,” he said. “It’s a privilege to be a professional runner and when you look at a lot of sports, particularly in Australia, Track is a very hard sport to stay ‘pro’ in. I  thank my sponsors and I thank my system in the US.

“I bleed gold and green . . . I love being part of [the Australian team] and it is a massive motivation. I train with amazing competitors, one of my teammates is an Olympic medallist . . .  another teammate is a world champion . . . so, really, I’m just lucky.

“[I have the focus and] I want to give Australia good rep if I get selected and get to go and beat those Scots in Glasgow.”

Daniel Lane, NSWIS

Photos: Rachel Tingey, NSWIS

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