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Teenager Cameron Myers continues to show his great promise as he chases a Paris Olympics berth after beating the likes of former world champion Jake Wightman in the 1,500 metres at the NSW Milers meet in Sydney on Thursday night.
Competing at The Crest Athletics Track in Georges Hall, 17-year-old Myers won in a time of 3:33.30, just 0.04 outside his personal best from last year.
It was the fastest 1,500m run by an Australian over the distance on home soil and is the world-leading time this year, although most international athletes have yet to begin their outdoor campaigns.
Myers now has two Olympic qualifiers, with his PB of 3:33.26 – run at the Chorzów Diamond League meet last July – the world under 18 best performance for the men's 1,500m.
Fellow Australian Jesse Hunt was second in 3:33.64, while Briton Wightman, who won the 1,500m at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, finished third in 3:24.31.
Wightman is coming off an injury-marred 2023 season.
He finished second to Tokyo Olympics finalist Stewart McSweyn in the John Landy Mile at last week's Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne.
Myers was third in that race, smashing his Australian under 20 record in the process.
On Thursday night, the Canberra year 12 school student perfectly executed his strategy, sitting just behind Wightman for much of the race.
Wightman led the field into the final lap before Myers made his move in the back straight to claim the lead.
He was challenged by Wightman with 100m left in the race but showed cool nerves to maintain his form and clinch victory.
His stature as a rising star of Australian track and field was illustrated when he was swarmed upon by autograph hunters and well-wishers following the race.
Myers first announced himself at last year's Maurie Plant Meet when he became the second-youngest athlete in track and field history — behind Norway's reigning Olympic 1,500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen — to break the four-minute mile barrier.
His effort in Chorzów saw him qualify for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, but he chose not to compete as he wanted to return to Australia to focus on preparing for the 2024 Olympic season.
"Last year I was lacking a little bit of that strength that these guys would have over the longer distances," Myers told ABC Sport last week.
"So working on that weakness is really showing now and I'm happy."
Myers is one of three Australians to have run an Olympic qualifier in the 1,500m but is not guaranteed a spot in the team for Paris, with the selection process still to play out.