Ben Offereins was in the form of his life two years ago at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin but must now refocus for the next World Championships instalment in Daegu, South Korea.
Offereins ran the third leg in Berlin to rescue the Australians from last place to finish fourth fastest in the heats and lift them into the final. He then replicated his efforts in the medal race to help the men win Australia’s first world relay medal with bronze.
“I don’t know how to describe it, that elation,” Offereins said of the 2009 bronze. “Winning a bronze medal in front of 70,000 people, that’s pretty cool. It gave me the confidence to know I could run those times and it was a snowball effect.
He remained unbeaten during the ensuing domestic season to clinch the 2010 national title, including a personal best of 44.86 seconds.
The 2011 season has not gone as smoothly for Offereins. With the World Championships in Daegu approaching fast, he is now looking to recapture the form that took him to stardom.
“If you just took the times that (the Australian 400m contingent) has been running recently, it’s not good, let’s be honest. None of us have broken 45 seconds, some of us have run 47, but come world champs, anything can happen.”
“The boys will be fired up and it’s times like (world titles) that that get you fired up and you just run well.”