NSWIS track duo Jessica Thornton and Anneliese Rubie have helped pilot Australia into the final of the 4 x 400m relay.

After finishing fourth in their heat, the Australians missed automatic qualification and had to wait to see if they would progress.

Thornton, Rubie and teammates Caitlin Sargent-Jones and Morgan Mitchell stood and watched the challengers present their case.

Their time of 3:25.71 saw them go through as one of the fastest non-automatic after Germany finished fifth in heat two in 3:26.02 – just outside the Australians’ time.

“It was a bit nerve-racking,” Thornton said.

“I think we all just saw the last two numbers instead of the middle two which was 26, and were all a little bit worried for that slight second, and then we realised it was 26 and we just screamed as loud as we could because we realised we’d made the final.”

Australia joins USA, Jamaica, Ukraine, Great Britain, Canada, Italy and Poland in the final.

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