Australian athlete runs fastest time in Gothenburg, eclipsing winning effort by Kenya’s Kirui at 1995 World Championships, now ranks No. 5 in the world this year in both 1,500 and 5,000; Rogers, Rowden both prevail in 800

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

A recent tour of Sweden continued to produce impressive results for Australia’s Stewart McSweyn, with the latest highlight coming Saturday at the Folksam Grand Prix at the Slottsskogsvallen in Gothenburg.

McSweyn ran the fastest 5,000-meter time in Gothenburg by clocking 13 minutes, 9.83 seconds, eclipsing the 1995 mark of 13:16.77 achieved by Kenya’s Ismael Kirui when he won the world title in Sweden.

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McSweyn achieved a personal-best 3:31.48 in the 1,500 meters Aug. 23 at the Bauhaus Galan, the annual Wanda Diamond League meeting in Stockholm, to elevate to the No. 5 outdoor performer in the world this year.

The Nike professional also ascended to No. 5 in the 5,000 on Saturday, with fellow Australian Matthew Ramsden improving to No. 16 this year by clocking 13:16.63.

McSweyn’s personal best remains 13:05.23 from 2018 in Belgium, which has him ranked as the No. 2 Australian athlete all-time in both the 1,500 and 5,000.

Raevyn Rogers, a member of the Nike training group coached by Pete Julian, was the only American to earn a victory Saturday, running 2:01.24 in the 800 to prevail against 18-year-old rising British talent Keely Hodgkinson (2:01.78). Shannon Rowbury, also training under Julian, was sixth in 2:04.46.

Great Britain’s Daniel Rowden held off Swedish record-holder Andreas Kramer by a 1:44.74 to 1:45.34 margin in the men’s 800, with fellow British talent Melissa Courtney-Bryant edging Australian Jessica Hull, also coached by Julian, by a 4:05.07 to 4:05.47 margin in the women’s 1,500.

Swedish athletes shined in several field events, including Khaddi Sagnia winning the women’s long jump with a wind-aided 22-1.75 (6.75m) effort in the first round. Sagnia also added a wind-legal leap of 21-8.75 (6.62m) in the sixth round, a mark still better than the rest of the competition.

Thobias Montler won the men’s long jump with a 26-7.25 (8.11m) performance in the third round.

Angelica Bengtsson triumphed in the women’s pole vault with a third-attempt clearance at 14-10.25 (4.53m) to hold off Great Britain’s Holly Bradshaw at 14-8.25 (4.48m).

Erika Kinsey won the women’s high jump with a first-attempt clearance at 6-1.50 (1.87m), Fanny Roos secured victory in the women’s shot put with a fourth-round effort of 59-8.25 (18.19m) and Rebecka Abrahamsson prevailed in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 43-7 (13.28m).

Wictor Petersson won the men’s shot put with a fourth-round effort of 67-2.25 (20.48m) and Erik Ehrlin was victorious in the men’s triple jump at 50-10.75 (15.51m).

Great Britain’s Amy Hunt triumphed in the women’s 100-meter dash in 11.39, with Norway’s Line Kloster prevailing in the women’s 400 hurdles by a 57.15 to 57.61 margin over another British talent Lina Nielsen.

Swedish 19-year-old athlete Samuel Pihlstrom won the men’s 1,500 in 3:47.75, with Carl Bengstrom capturing the men’s 400 in 46.40.

Linn Soderholm won the women’s 3,000 steeplechase in 9:50.17, with fellow Swedish athlete Lisa Bergdahl securing the victory in the women’s 5,000 in 16:56.07.