Ben Offereins Wins Bronze in 4x400m Relay in Berlin

The Australian men’s 4x400m relay team of WAIS athlete Ben Offereins, former WAIS scholarship holder John Steffensen, Tristan Thomas and Sean Wroe have finished Australia’s campaign at the 12th IAAF world athletics championships with an outstanding run, taking out the bronze medal.

It was a first for Australia to be represented in the final of this event at a world athletics championships, despite medalling at both Olympic and Commonwealth Games, so to medal in the event is an even more outstanding result.

John Steffensen led the team out with a controlled first leg and passed the baton on even keel with expected leaders the USA.

Offereins, who flew down the back straight in the heats to get in front at the 200m mark, did the same in the final to put Australia into second behind the USA. The West Australian passed to Tristan Thomas but by that time the Brits had slid past.

The Tasmanian, known for some incredible relay splits throughout his junior career, maintained third place and didn’t let the Brits get too far away.

The US had an unassailable lead, and Australia and Great Britain were battling for silver.

Anchoring the team home, Wroe ran gallantly as he tried to peg back some ground on Olympic finalist Rooney. Although he fell short, he crossed the line in 3.00.90 for a fabulous bronze medal.

Ben Offereins, still struggling to believe that just two months ago he was competing on the Gold Coast, was all smiles.

“First, it was so good just to make this team,” he said.

“It’s my first world champs, it’s a big eye opener to see how people go through their processes and it was good to have John here, he’s a great team leader.He sat me down, gave me some good talks, really inspirational and helped me to block out the crowd and get down to business.”

John Steffensen was ecstatic with the result.

“This is a testament to all of them,” he said.

“They’re great guys to work with, I’m really proud of them. I felt like a dad yesterday.

“We had a game plan from the start we were always working to make the final, we knew we had a great opportunity to medal and all of the guys believed in it and it really worked as a great team.”

The Commonwealth champion has had problems with his hamstring and was rested from the heat.

“Down the home straight I felt it go”, he said.

“All week I’ve been battling a bit. I knew I had one more race left in me, the boys pulled it off yesterday, so I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.”

Tristan Thomas, accompanied by his life size cut out of Berlino, the mascot of the championships, was also thrilled.

“To come away at the end of a championship with a medal, to do it as a team and to come out and know that we put in 110% is amazing,” he said.

“We believed in this, we truly believed that we should be on that dais. One day America will drop the baton and we will pounce.”

A composed Sean Wroe said: “I had full belief that I was capable of what I was doing. Chasing down Rooney, you’ve got to back yourself in and try to run over the top of him. Tonight I left my run a little bit late. The last 50m I thought I was going to catch him, hats off to Rooney, he’s a quality relay runner. The boys set it up for me today; all I had to do was hold that position.”

– Athletics Australia