Australian high jumper Yual Reath delivered a remarkable comeback performance at the Diamond League meet in Morocco, narrowly missing out on a maiden victory after clearing 2.25 metres.
New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr secured the win on countback, having cleared the height on his first attempt. Reath, 25, and Italy’s Marco Fasinotti also cleared 2.25m but were relegated to joint second place after taking more attempts. American high jumpers Shelby McEwen and JuVaughn Harrison, both global medalists, finished off the podium in Rabat.
Reath, based in Ballarat, was upbeat about the result, especially after suffering a serious ankle injury at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Japan just a week earlier.
“Back in Tokyo, I scissored two metres; next minute I looked at my leg and I had ripped through my ankle,” he said. “I had to get 20 plus stitches — must have been my spikes when I landed on the bag.”
Despite the injury, Reath insisted on finishing the competition, telling first aid staff to “strap it up” so he could continue. “It was a lot of mental work because I could still feel it, but I had to keep going,” he said.
Jude Thomas Clocks Personal Best in 1,500m
In other Australian performances, rising middle-distance runner Jude Thomas recorded a personal best of 3:33.35 in the men’s 1,500m, finishing 10th — just shy of the world championship qualifying mark.
Sarah Billings placed seventh in the women’s 1,500m, while Bree Rizzo, winner of the Stawell Gift, finished last in the women’s 100m (11.43) on her Diamond League debut.
