Ryan Gregson is certainly a junior prodigy, but doesn't seem destined for the scrap heap any time soon. His performance at the Sydney Track Classic, where he finished third in a new Australian junior record of 3:37.24 is another in a consistently improving string of performances the 18 year old New South Wales athlete has produced over the past few years.
?I've got a great coach in Ian Hatfield. He always tells me that it doesn't matter what you do at 20, it's what you do at 25,? Gregson told Inside Athletics after his race at the Sydney Track Classic, which was taken out by Yusuf Saad Kamal in 3:36.72.Two years ago Gregson was fifth at the world youth championships over 1500m and replicated the performance last year at the world junior championships. With all of this year up his sleeve in the junior ranks, Gregson has set his sights on the junior race at the world cross country championships in Amman, Jordan.
That, in part, is what makes his 1500m performance so special. It was run entirely of the base work that he has been completing for a 8km cross country race.
?I've had a stress fracture and because I've been focusing on the 8km at the world cross country I haven't done anything on the track.
?I believe if you want to run a good 1500m you have to be able to run a bloody good 10km. I'll work on my endurance now at the world cross country and then go over to Europe in June and spend a few month try to get the 3:36.?
Gregson's performance broke the 29 year old national junior record of 3:39.67 set by Mike Hillardt. Hillardt was no flash in the pan junior sensation ? he was world indoor champion in the 1500m in 1985 and was consistently Australia's best 1500m runner throughout the 1980s, winning 8 national titles. Gregson is keen to taste similar success, but has his eyes firmly set on the world cross country championships at this stage.
?I came 31st last year. I wasn't anywhere near as good then as I am now. Straight after last year's race I set my goal as top 10,? said Gregson.
?The American juniors are great ? there's one who is better than me over 8km and two who are about the same. If we can run together we can try to tackle the Kenyans,? he explained.
Gregson will race the 5000m next Thursday at the Melbourne World Athletics Tour meeting. The race doubles as the Australian national championships, and after tonight's performance his opponents will be even more wary of his potential.