Leanne Pompeani overcomes calf injury to claim first Australian title

The star athlete was among the favourites to take out the national title but was hiding something from her rivals.

Pompeani had suffered a minor calf strain while training at altitude last week, potentially derailing her quest for a first Australian championship.

Proctor was optimistic his charge would pull through but such is the nature of long-distance running, there was no way to really be sure.

As it turned out, Proctor need not worry. Pompeani dominated her rivals to secure a stunning victory in the Zatopek 10,000m race in Melbourne.

"It was definitely on my mind," Proctor said. "Racing 25 laps in spikes is tough on the lower limbs so I'm always on edge with stuff like that. You never know when it's night-time racing, we prefer racing in the morning with some of the issues she's had.

"Leanne executed the plan pretty well. She went a little early, most people don't take the lead with 16 laps to go, it just doesn't occur. I was going a little crazy, I'm glad I wasn't there. I know she's fit and strong but you don't know what the others are going to do so I was glad she came away with the win."

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Thursday's win was Pompeani's first national title and came on the back of a breakout season.

A relative latecomer to the sport, the athlete spent her teenage years playing soccer. After leaving school, Pompeani transitioned to athletics and enjoyed a steady build to the elite tier.

In the past year alone, the 26-year-old took out the City2Surf, the Oceania 10km Road Running Championships and Gold Coast 10km.

While she may have been a relative unknown in Australian running, Proctor said Thursday night's performance marked his runner's arrival on the big stage.

"Leanne's had a great year," he said. "The events she's won were ones she really wanted to win to stamp her name.

"Before the season, most people in Australia wouldn't necessarily know Leanne as a runner. Now she can well and truly call herself one of Australia's top runners, that's always been a goal."

Pompeani has little time to rest as the summer of athletics kicks into high gear.

In January, Stromlo will host the trials for February's World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst.

The Canberra talent has long had her eye on an appearance at the competition, initially scheduled for 2021, and the event is her primary goal for the summer.

"This is the stepping stone," Pompeani said. "This was a priority but there is probably a slightly higher one at the (World Athletics Cross Country) trials so this is sort of, if I can run well here, keep doing what I'm doing in training, I should be ready to hit the ground hard at the trials and prove myself again that this wasn't just a good night from me.

"I'm in much better shape and if I can make this team, I really want to go hard at Bathurst and go for top 20."

While the World Cross Country Championships are the short-term focus, the 2024 Paris Olympics loom as the long-term target.

Whether it be the 10,000m or the marathon, Proctor is confident Pompeani's best is still to come.

"I think she's got a great shot at the [2023 Track and Field World Championships] and Paris Olympics," Proctor said. "That's why we run and train. If we didn't think we could improve, we wouldn't keep doing it.

"I don't think we know what Leanne's limits are yet. We'll shoot for next year's World Championships in Budapest and we'll find out in the next six months what happens."

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