MADISON, Wis. – Two UW alum and two current Badgers will compete in the 2024 Australian Athletics Championships this weekend, headlined by four-time NCAA Champion Morgan McDonald.
Fans can follow the action via @BadgerTrackXC on Instagram, X and Facebook or check UWBadgers.com for a post meet recap.
McDonald will run in the 5000 meters on Sunday at 1:15 a.m. CT. He last appeared on the track at February's Millrose Games, where he broke the Australian record in the two-mile at 8:12.01. McDonald ran the 5000 meters in January at the John Tomas Terrier Classic in Boston. He finished seventh, crossing the line in 13 minutes, 7.3 seconds.
Accompanying McDonald will be Badger senior Jackson Sharp. Sharp is coming off a successful 2024 indoor campaign where he earned first-team All-American, won two Big Ten Championships and set a school record in the 5000 meters. He placed eighth in the 5000 meters at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships, finishing in 13 minutes, 31.63 seconds. At the Big Ten Championships, Sharp took home the individual crown in the 5000 meters (13:56.28) and the 3000 meters (7:46.42). He started his outdoor season at the Stanford Invitational, finishing as the runner-up in the 5000 meters' fastest heat at 13:44.50.
Alum Ollie Hoare will compete in the 1500 and 5000 meters. Hoare, the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Champion in the 1500 meters, ranks third in the world in the event. He hasn't run since June of 2023 due to injury but broke through on the professional scene a year prior. After finishing 11th at the 2020 Olympic Games, Hoare won the 2022 Commonwealth Games, finished fifth at the 2022 World Indoor Championships, 18th at the 2022 World Championships and third at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships.
Current Badger Adam Spencer will race in the 1500 meters. Spencer recently broke Hoare's school records in the mile and the 1500 meters within the past year. Spencer finished his 2024 indoor season as the NCAA runner-up in the mile, finishing 4 minutes, 1.92 seconds.. He got his outdoor campaign underway with a win in the 800 meters fast heat at the Stanford Invitational.
The 1500 meters will begin Wednesday at 10:20 p.m. CT with the preliminary round. The final will start Saturday at 1:40 a.m. CT.
