Myers, Kennedy and Patterson among winners as records fall in Melbourne

Cameron Myers, Jacory Patterson, Nina Kennedy and Lachlan Kennedy were among the record breakers as the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold season started in style at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne.

Making his outdoor season debut after an undefeated indoor campaign, Australian 19-year-old Myers dominated the 1500m on Saturday (28), winning in 3:30.42 – a world-leading Oceanian all-comers’ record and the second-fastest time of his career behind the area U20 record of 3:29.80 he set last year.

He was tracked by recent world indoor bronze medallist Adam Spencer but kicked at the bell and stormed away over the final lap, eventually winning by more than seven seconds. Spencer held on to the runner-up spot in 3:37.51.

World leader Claudia Hollingsworth won the women’s race, beating Great Britain’s newly crowned world indoor champion Georgia Hunter Bell.

Linden Hall led at the bell, but Hollingsworth was the first to kick. Hunter Bell went with her but, racing less than a week after her indoor triumph in Toruń, she couldn’t match her rival’s closing speed. The 20-year-old Hollingsworth won in a meeting record of 4:01.30, Hunter Bell following in 4:01.52.

US and Diamond League champion Patterson was another meeting record setter as he won the 400m in 44.41 ahead of Luke van Ratingen (45.03).

Lachlan Kennedy secured a sprint double as he continues his comeback after injury. The 21-year-old, who claimed world indoor 60m silver last year but was forced to end his outdoor season early in July, ran a meeting record of 10.03 (0.3m/s) to win the 100m and returned to the track an hour later to pip his Australian compatriot Gout Gout in the 200m.

Racing in the pouring rain, Kennedy held off the fast-finishing 18-year-old, clocking 20.38 to Gout’s 20.43 (-0.7m/s).

Kennedy, Olyslagers and Denny star in the field

Australia’s Olympic pole vault champion Nina Kennedy is another athlete making her return after injury and she also set a meeting record, clearing 4.72m before deciding to call it a day.

The national record-holder, who won the world title in 2023, missed the whole of 2025 but has returned to winning ways this year, topping the contest in Melbourne ahead of USA’s world leader Hana Moll and her twin sister Amanda Moll.

"It was a three quarter run-up and it was actually a personal best so I’m really happy,” Kennedy told Australian Athletics. "We are just being conservative. I need to be peaking in Europe and for the Commonwealth Games so I need to be playing the safe game."

Australia’s world champion Nicola Olyslagers, who secured silver at last weekend’s World Indoor Championships, won the high jump on countback ahead of her 18-year-old compatriot Izobelle Louison-Roe. They both cleared a best of 1.95m – an equal PB for Louison-Roe.

Matthew Denny was another winner for Australia, the Olympic bronze medallist managing 67.51m to triumph ahead of 2022 European medallist Lawrence Okoye (65.09m) and Olympic champion Roje Stona (64.60m).

A dramatic end to the men’s 3000m saw Australia’s Jackson Sharp overpower long-time leader Seth O'Donnell, dipping past him at the finish line to clinch victory in a meeting record – 7:41.02 to 7:41.11. Rose Davies won the women’s race in 8:45.13, while Luke Boyes topped the 800m in 1:45.21.

Also racing on home soil, Michelle Jenneke held off her fast-finishing compatriots to win the 100m hurdles in 13.05. Emily Britton was second (13.07) and Celeste Mucci third (13.08).

Monique Hanlon won the 200m (23.61), while Daisy Osakue clinched the discus title (57.94m). Alex Epitropakis won the long jump, leaping a PB of 7.96m in the final round to deny 2025 world indoor bronze medallist Liam Adcock victory by a few centimetres.

Japan’s recent world indoor finalist Tomohiro Shinno won the men’s high jump on countback, clearing 2.18m during the first evening of action in Melbourne on Friday (27).

Results