FORMER CSU student Ben St Lawrence might be tackling the men’s 10,000 metres at the Rio Olympic Games, but he has also proved he is good at hurdles.
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He overcame a massive hurdle to earn a place in Australia’s athletics team for the Games – a 14 centimetre tear in his hamstring.
It was an injury which kept the 34-year-old from attending last year’s World Championships, but he worked hard to recover. He proved to selectors he was fit by placing third in the 5,000m at April’s Australian Championships.
He actually ran his qualifying time for the 10,000m in May last year, clocking a 27:44.24 effort at the Stanford Invitational.
“I've had a very solid progression since surgery last year and feel that if I can continue this trajectory, I will be positioned to run a race that I can be very proud of in Rio,” he said. “I may be able to hit career best form just at the right time.”
This will be his second Olympic Games, having placed 20th in the 10,000m final at London behind British superstar Mo Farah.