Australian duo Nicholas Hough and Sam Baines both ran personal best time's in the 110 metre hurdles at the Sydney Track Classic, as they continue their push for Commonwealth Games qualification.
Reigning world champion David Oliver took out the event in 13.38 seconds, with Hough (13.65) and Baines (13.69) pushing the American star over the middle stretch.
It was a significant result for 20-year-old NSW hurdler Hough who slashed his PB by eight hundredths of a second.
The pair already have B qualifiers and are aiming to get their times down as close as they can to the A qualifying time of 13.50 before next month's Australian Championships.
Hough and Baines said they were both inspired by the chance to share a track with Oliver, the fourth fastest man ever in the 110m hurdles, and will go head-to-head with the American next week in the Melbourne World Challenge.
"Being in the lane next to him as well, it's definitely very inspiring so hopefully I get to chat to him a bit over the next week, pick up some things, maybe do a training session with him, that'd be fantastic," said Hough.
"I tell you what there was so much adrenalin going at the start line. All of a bit of a blur. I remember the first hurdle that's about it. I collected a few throughout there.
"But I was just trying to attack it and hopefully in a couple of weeks time if I run a bit cleaner over the hurdles I might get a faster time.
"My PB at the start of the season was 14.11. So I've come down half a second, hopefully it can come down even more."
Baines, 23 says having Hough as a sparring partner is spurring them both on to better times at the right time of year.
"It's good to be so close to someone as well and have that competitive spirit against one another and we're both pushing each other in races and training," he said.
Oliver said he hit one of the hurdles with his trail knee but ultimately surged home on a wet night in Sydney.
"It should be a good springboard for my 2014 season," he said.
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