sport, local-sport, stewart mcsweyn, zagreb, croatia, 1500m, 2020, examiner, tasmania
Olympics-bound Stewart McSweyn fell short of an Australian 1500m record but blitzed the field at the Hanzekovic Memorial in Zagreb, Croatia. Hitting the 800m mark on the pacemaker's shoulder at 1:54.14 - two seconds slower than requested - the 25-year-old turned out the jet-packs and left the field in his wake. The King Island star opened up a whopping 30m buffer before crossing the line in 3:32.17 - around one second behind Ryan Gregson's national mark of 3:31.06. RELATED: McSweyn a confirmed starter at 2021 Olympics King Island's heir apparent: Big Mac hitting new heights Gregson finished in fifth with 3:35.22 while fellow Australian Matthew Ramsden (3:34.83) took third as one of eight in the 12-man field to record a personal best. Tasmanian athletics guru Brian Roe summed up McSweyn's efforts in a Twitter post on Wednesday. "A fine win for [McSweyn] over 1500m in the 70th Hanekovi Memorial Meet in Croatia in 3.32.17 - just outside his PB," Roe said. "This guy is in shape! Helps his training partner [Ramsden] to an excellent personal best." McSweyn will race in the 5000m and 10,000m events at next year's Tokyo Olympics. MORE SPORT: Tom Bellchambers retires from AFL Launceston to unleash secret VFL recruit Hurricanes lock in a fourth BBL keeping option
Olympics-bound Stewart McSweyn fell short of an Australian 1500m record but blitzed the field at the Hanzekovic Memorial in Zagreb, Croatia.
Hitting the 800m mark on the pacemaker's shoulder at 1:54.14 - two seconds slower than requested - the 25-year-old turned out the jet-packs and left the field in his wake.
The King Island star opened up a whopping 30m buffer before crossing the line in 3:32.17 - around one second behind Ryan Gregson's national mark of 3:31.06.
Gregson finished in fifth with 3:35.22 while fellow Australian Matthew Ramsden (3:34.83) took third as one of eight in the 12-man field to record a personal best.
Tasmanian athletics guru Brian Roe summed up McSweyn's efforts in a Twitter post on Wednesday.
"A fine win for [McSweyn] over 1500m in the 70th Hanekovi Memorial Meet in Croatia in 3.32.17 - just outside his PB," Roe said.
"This guy is in shape! Helps his training partner [Ramsden] to an excellent personal best."
McSweyn will race in the 5000m and 10,000m events at next year's Tokyo Olympics.
