Rollison claims Silver medal in Steeplechase

For a third successive night, Australia has claimed a silver medal on the track following Queenslander Melissa Rollison’s gallant second place behind Uganda’s Dorcus Inzikuru in the women’s 3000m steeplechase at the Melbourne Cricket Ground this evening.

Rollison’s task against world champion Inzikuru was always going to be a challenging one, however, she matched the Ugandan stride for stride right up until the 200m mark, when she stumbled slightly after misjudging the second-last hurdle.

The slip was all Inzikuru needed and she powered away to win in 9 minutes, 19.51 seconds, ahead of the flagging Rollison in 9:24.29. Another Australian, Donna MacFarlane, finished strongly at the line to take the bronze in 9:25.05.

“The crowd was awesome, they really lifted me, which is important when you’re up there against the world champion. I was hoping for the win, but on the back straight I missed the hurdle and lost it from there,” Rollison said.

“I was on the wrong foot and I didn’t want to take a smaller step because I thought she’d get away, so I just strode out, hoping to land on it and I got on it, but I stumbled on the other side and she got away so I sort of gave up from there.”

While obviously disappointed to come up short with a gold medal almost within her grasp, Rollison could be consoled with the fact she shattered her previous personal best time. Her teammate and bronze medallist McFarlane was similarly pleased her with own individual performance.

“It was big PB, nine seconds or so, so I’m happy with that, I’m happy with the medal. It’s the best momento of the Games I could have packed into the suitcase,” she said.

The men’s long jump produced another Australian placing, with Mauritius-born Sydneysider Fabrice LaPierre securing the bronze with a second leap of 8.1 metres.

Ranked second in the world and favourite prior to the event, Ghana’s Ignisious Gaisah secured the gold with a fourth jump of 8.2m, which neither LaPierre or Botswana’s silver medallist, Gable Garenamotse (8.17m) could match.

While it was Garenamotse’s second successive Games silver in the long jump, the 22-year-old LaPierre had yet to compete in a major championship and has been studying in the US.

Australia’s other competitors, John Thornell and Timothy Parravicini, finished fifth and seventh respectively.

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