Ollie Hoare has come from the clouds in the final stages to claim Commonwealth Games gold in the 1500m.
Hoare blitzed the field in the home straight as he stormed past Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot in the last 10 meters to cross the line in a games record time of 3:30.13 – edging the Kenyan by .09 of a second.
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The Aussie stalked Cheruiyot, the world champion and defending Commonwealth Games champion, as they came around the final bend and turned on the gas at the perfect moment.
“Hoare lifting here, lifting with a big run,” Bruce McAvaney said.
“He’s coming with a mighty run, the Aussie’s a chance. Cheruiyot goes up … here comes Ollie Hoare with a flashing run I reckon he’s going to get there.”
“And it is!” Tamsyn Lewis-Manou shouted as Hoare crossed the line.
“It’s an extraordinary moment in Australian sport. It’s one of those that we will etch in the history books forever and how lucky we are to have been here and for you to have watched it,” McAvaney said as Hoare slumped over in disbelief on the ground. “The last 100m is the stuff of legends.”
“Take your hat off, that was just brilliant and a new Games record,” Lewis-Manou said.
“He has just beat a sensational field. I have waited until the exit route, got out and that finish was brilliant.”
“He takes down two world champions in the home stretch, it’s just magical. It’s what you dream about,” McAvaney added.
Hoare, 25, spoke about the gold medal moment after completing a lap of victory around the stadium.
“That last lap I just wanted to stay relaxed and I knew that my time would come. It’s hard to believe when you have guys there that are absolute class. But I was able to get out and I just had the kicker at the end and it was spectacular,” Hoare said.
Hoare got emotional during the interview as he dedicated the run to his late grandfather.
“I’d like to dedicate that race to my pop he was a life member at Southern Districts athletics club and he was a World War 2 veteran, Sargaent Fred Hoare.
“He passed away just after the World Champs and it was a very difficult time for me because of how bad I’d just raced and to hear that news of a guy who would have a stopwatch at every race when I was growing up going through the sport, to not have him there to watch was tough but I’d like to dedicate that race to my pop because he is the reason why my family loves this sport and the reason why I am here today.
“So Pop, I know you’re watching. I’ll have a glass of red for ya mate. That was a good one.”
Australian viewers couldn’t believe what they’d just witnessed with Hoare’s run one we’ll remember for years and years.
The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph wrote: “Here comes Ollie Hoare with a flashing run. Bloody hell. Some kind of guts to run down two world champions. Just wow.”
Former Boomers coach Brendan Joyce wrote: “Wow Australia we have a new champion to be proud of! What a run in the 1500! Ollie Hoare you were incredible!”
ABC journalist Peter Gunders wrote: “Ollie Hoare! What a race. My heart is racing, we nearly lost our voices cheering, and I think we just woke up the whole street.”
Former AFL star Kane Cornes wrote: “World class run, how tough is he. Bruce is a genius.”
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