Izzi Batt-Doyle narrowly misses Olympic standard in 5000m in Melbourne...
University of Washington alum Izzi Batt-Doyle (photo by Ricky Martinez) scored a major personal best Tuesday night as she won the 5000 meters at the Box Hill Burn distance meet at the Box Hill Athletics Track, east of the city.
The 2019 NCAA All-American for the Huskies at 10000 meters dropped down in distance to take a shot at the Olympic Games qualifying standard of 15:10.00.
Batt-Doyle started out in fourth place behind two pacesetters and Rose Davies, who beat her at the Australian 10000 meter championships last month on this same track.
After Batt-Doyle passed 3000 meters in 9:12, Davies ran another 400 meters before unexpectedly dropping out, forcing the Washington grad to run for the Olympic standard by herself for the remaining 1400 meters.
Batt-Doyle ran her last 2000 meters in 5:59.07, finishing her final lap in 69.07 seconds to finish with a final time of 15:11.07, well under her previous personal best of 15:26.48, set in December in Adelaide.
"I wanted to get under 15:20--that was the big goal for me. I felt like 15:10 was a bit of a stretch, but to see the clock stop past 15:10, I had some mixed feelings, knowing I was so close to the qualifying time."
"It was hard to run on my own after having someone to pull me through."
The mark is the ninth fastest in Australian history, and is currently the second fastest time in the world so far this season.
Courtesy of Athletics South Australia, here is the race.
Results of the Box Hill Burn Distance Meet are available here.
NOTE: Athletics South Australia contributed to this report.
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