Entering the Olympic Selection Trials there are few that would have tipped Brendan Cole to automatically secure his place on the Australian team to London.

The 30-year-old from Canberra has for the past decade always been there and there about for selection on national teams, consistently breaking 50 seconds but often struggling to crack the 49.50 second barrier.

It was that 49.50 seconds that was needed to be reached for automatic selection, but having not broken 50 seconds throughout the domestic season, it looked a case of Cole notching up a win and having to chase the time elsewhere, especially with the strong winds in the exposed Lakeside Stadium.

But running with conviction and noticeably smoother over the final two barriers than earlier in the season, Cole crossed the line just outside his personal best in a time of 49.39 seconds to book his place on the Australian team.

“I knew I’d probably win, which would give me a chance to then go and qualify later in the year, which is what I thought I’d probably have to do, to be honest,” Cole said.

“One thing that I have learnt in the past ten years is that persistence is paramount in athletics. Even though I’ve had a bit of a turbulent domestic season this year I knew I’d done the hard work and in the end it payed off.

“It’s just a matter of doing the right thing at the right time, and that’s what happened tonight.”