RAMSDEN TO LEAD WA'S BEST DISTANCE RUNNERS IN 5000M RECORD ATTEMPT
Published Fri 26 Jun 2020
Matthew Ramsden is aiming to break his own 5000m WA State Record and challenge for the State All-comers Record (currently held by Ben St Lawrence) at the Keep On Running 5000m event tonight.
Ramsden, a World Championships semi-finalist, has been based in Perth through the COVID-19 crisis, giving him the opportunity to lay a solid base of fitness with his local training group. Training has had its challenges throughout the crisis, with the group having to split up into partners for training throughout the restrictions, rather than training in their usual group of approximately 20 athletes.
Tonight’s race will see some of WA’s best distance runners contest the 12.5 laps, setting the scene for one of the fastest 5000m races in WA’s history.
“All the boys are fit enough to PB so the aim is to have the entire field walk away with a personal best and personally, a State Record is in the back of my head too”.
With sights still set on the Olympic Games now scheduled for 2021, Ramsden aims to qualify for the 1500m. In 2019, he finished 15th at the World Athletics Championships, and he’ll be looking to go one better and make the final in Tokyo.
The Keep On Running 5000m event will take place at the WA Athletics Stadium at 7pm Friday 26th June, with spectator entry from 6pm. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, spectating opportunities are limited to 100 people within the grand stand, on a first come, first serve basis. The event will also be live streamed on Runner’s Tribe’s Facebook page.