By JARROD POTTER
STRIDING onto the world stage is a thrill Tynong North runner Ben Kelly will never forget.
After just making the Australian team for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Guiyang, China, Kelly upped his tempo to ensure he would not be left behind in the eight-kilometre competition.
Taking to the line among his Australian team mates on 28 March, Kelly steadily worked his way up the ranks to finish 104th overall and most importantly, gain a lot of experience from his first international race.
“It was very exciting being with the team – the senior members guided us through and showed us the way to run the race,” Kelly said. “It’s completely different to what you would experience over here.”
“I came 104th, there was a little controversy with the chips not working, but there were about 120-125 runners there.”
He aimed to finish as the first placed Australian in the junior men’s race and while he finished third, pipped at the line by second Australian Bryce Anderson, Kelly was thrilled to push through the pain and finish strongly in 28.04 minutes.“The senior athletes told us to relax early and not stress about being at the back, just to work our way through because a lot of people will go out too hard to keep up with the best runners in the world,” Kelly said.
“I was at the back of the Australians, so I decided to go out selectively and guide myself off them – I thought I was last of the Australians, but as I looked up, each lap I tried to pick off a couple.
“Just as I got into the finishing chute – Bryce Anderson overtook me – so I moved up from fourth at the trials, to third, so I moved up the order there and was pleased with it.”
His time in the green and gold taught him one great lesson: “You’ve really got to train hard – make sure that everything you do is right,” Kelly said.
He’s also targeting the Victorian Cross Country Championships, coming up on 13 June, and as the highest ranked junior Victorian runner, he knows there will be a few targets on his back.
“It’s been good to obviously run that race early in the cross country season and set me up with a little bit of pressure to train harder and keep up the good work,” Kelly said. “It’s a bit different for me on the track as I haven’t got any wins.
“In the Australian junior team I was the fastest Victorian so they’ll be watching me during the race for sure.”
His winter cross country season has just kicked off with the XCR-15 season, with Kelly running for Glenhuntly in the division 1 competition.
Kelly wanted to thank his sponsors Ron Hill Down Under and Mizuno for their support in his international cross-country campaign.
