Batt-Doyle refines focus after Tokyo blitz

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Batt-Doyle refines focus after Tokyo blitz

An *********** record on the Toyko streets flanking Japan National Stadium has inspired Izzi Batt-Doyle to chase 10,000m qualification and run inside it at the world championships later this year.

The 29-year-old from Adelaide has raced the 5000m at the last two Olympics, but boasts the third-fastest marathon by an *********** woman and wants to run a 10,000m at a global championship.

That prospect firmed after she clocked 30 minutes and 44 seconds at last week’s World Athletics-sanctioned Asics event to launch the brand’s new race shoe.

Buoyed by her Tokyo time despite battling sickness, Batt-Doyle will head to Europe this week for a series of track and road races over the distance.

The women’s qualification time to race the one-off 10,000m final in Tokyo this September has been quickened from 30:40 to 30:20.

“It’s fast, but that race showed me I’m around the mark and if I get another good 10km on the track I could get myself in the rankings for a spot anyway,” Batt-Doyle told AAP.

“It takes a year or two to figure out what being a pro means … now I’m four years into what I’d call my career and think I’m seeing the rewards of consistency and hard work.

“The mindset’s shifted to not just being happy to be there, but wanting to compete.”

Batt-Doyle was among six *********** women to run the qualification time for last year’s Olympics marathon in Paris but was not selected in the three-strong team.

Running the Los Angeles Olympics marathon in 2028 and Brisbane’s 2032 Games remain her long-term goals but Batt-Doyle wants to make the most of her track talents first.

“I’m in a ******* of time where normally decisions are made for you by the way things are going,” the Nic Bideau-coached talent said.

“I probably didn’t expect to be running such fast times (marathon) so early.

“But the competitiveness globally and in Australia … the needle’s shifted as to what is, ‘a good time’, or what you need to run to put yourself in the equation.

“I’m working hard, doing well in a number of events and it’s difficult (to choose), but I’ve got a short-term plan.

“Part of me would like to focus on marathon now, forget about the track and shorter stuff because I’m not as comparatively competitive.

“I don’t want to spend the next 10, 12 years doing two or three marathons a year, the same training and get stagnant.

“I want to challenge myself, work on my speed and take these opportunities while I can.”

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