RYAN’S RUNAWAY SUCCESS

Distance runner Ryan Gregson.

FRESH from setting a new under 18 NSW record of 14 minutes 30 seconds in the 5000m distance event at last week's State Championships, 16-year-old Bulli runner Ryan Gregson has continued his run of success with another outstanding effort which saw him bag two gold medals at the Youth Olympics held at the weekend in Homebush, Sydney.

Up against the best runners from Australia, China, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand and Oceania, Ryan again proved himself as Australia's number one Under 18 middle distance runner.

The 1500m proved to be an exciting race in which Ryan ran a personal best time of 3min54sec. Despite running 4th at the bell lap Ryan eased ahead of the pack to win by 15 metres. The 3000m proved a little more certain for Ryan, who although carrying heavy legs from the previous night's racing, led from start to finish, to bag his second gold medal of the meet.

Despite all the recent success, Ryan is readying himself for a bigger stage with his sights firmly set on qualifying for the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth games.

"I'll only be 20 but it's achievable and a goal for which I will be pushing very hard," said Ryan.

However, before breaking onto the world open scene Ryan will be pitting himself against the world's best at both the World Cross Country Championships in Kenya in March and the World Youth Athletics Championships to be staged in the Czech Republic in July.

"The Kenyans and Ethiopians are traditionally the toughest opponents, I'll be looking to achieve a personal best and build on it."

In the meantime, it's back to the track for Ryan who trains 12 times a week under the watchful eye of Ian Hatfield and the Kembla Joggers.