Australia has made it’s best-ever start to a JWOC campaign — with a bronze medal to Hanny Allston and 8th place for Julian Dent.

Hanny Allston from Tasmania has taken a bronze medal in the Middle Distance race at the Junior World Championships in Switzerland. Allston started the race slowly and trailed by nearly 2 minutes to place 8th at the first split control. But she picked up time steadily over the second half of the course, finishing only 90 seconds behind the winner, Anna Pearson of Sweden.

In the men’s race, Julian Dent was also slow out of the blocks, but finished in 8th place – Australia’s best result in the Men’s Middle Distance at JWOC.

Of the other two A-Finalists Jasmine Neve came in 32nd and Simon Uphill a competitive 22nd in his first JWOC.

A full report from team manager Hilary Wood will be filed shortly.

World Junior Championships At Taverne Switzerland
Middle Distance Finals

Men: 3.5 km: A Final:
1 Fabian Hertner SUI 21:28
2 Philippe Adamski FRA 22:43
3 Hannu Airila FIN 23:27
8 Julian Dent AUS 25:10
22 Simon Uppill AUS 27:26

B Final:
1 Magne Dæhli NOR 23:41
10 Ryan Smyth AUS 26:30
20 Conrad Elson AUS 28:44
23 David Meyer AUS 29:46
52 Louis Elson AUS 37:57

Women: 3.0 km: A Final:
1 Anna Persson SWE 25:51
2 Heini Wennman FIN 26:00
3 Hanny Allston AUS 27:18
32 Jasmine Neve AUS 36:00

B Final:
1 Ane Linde DEN 22:46
6 Zebedy Hallett AUS 28:12
21 Vanessa Round AUS 33:28
52 Ainsley Cavanagh AUS 47:59
Erin Post AUS n.class.