Nelson Posts Career Best in Rio

It was one of the most impressive performances by an Australian at the Rio Olympics.

It didn’t yield a medal. Didn’t even get Ella Nelson a place in today’s 200m final.

But in a blistering 22.50 seconds, the NSWIS sprinter put the world on notice. The 22-year-old is an emerging international star with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics firmly in her sights.

Running in the semi-finals, Nelson took 0.3 off her personal best on the biggest stage of her career so far.

It came despite a season plagued by two hamstring tears and the interrupted preparation that goes with that.

Nelson finished third in her semi-final, taking down some of the biggest names in the sport in the process.

It moved her up the list to now be the sixth fastest Australian of all-time over 200m.

Cruelly though, it was an agonising 0.01 of a second off securing a place in the final. No Australian has made the 200m final since Cathy Freeman and Melinda Gainsford-Taylor at the Sydney 2000 Games.

“I ran a PB, I couldn’t be happier,” Nelson said.

“I know there’s one spot there, just 1/100^th of a second, but it’s just incredible … I am just so proud of myself for the year that I have had and everything going forward.”

NSWIS athlete Brandon Starc became the first Australian to compete in the men’s high jump final in 20 years.

He finished 15th after not quite matching his performance in qualifying when he registered 2.29m.

He cleared his first height of 2.20m at his second attempt but was unable to clear 2.25m.

“I wasn’t feeling as good as I was in qualifying,” Starc said.

“I’m not sure if I was nervous or if it was because I was backing up with a day in between. It wasn’t my night. It was a bit of a disappointment. I had high hopes. That’s the way it goes.”

“I can learn from that … the things they did out there are not out of my reach.”

Selma Kajan made her Olympic debut in the 800m heats.

She missed the final after finishing seventh in a time of 2.05.20.

“I’m over the moon to be here. I just wanted to take that experience and hopefully use it for the future,” Kajan said.

“Unfortunately I was unwell coming into the competition, Sunday night I just picked up a virus and I just couldn’t shake it. It zapped the energy out of me, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me competing.”

“I wanted to be an Olympian.”