![Lauren Ryan (1st), Rose Davies (3rd), Holly Campbell (2nd) at Zatopek in Melbourne on Saturday. Picture supplied Lauren Ryan (1st), Rose Davies (3rd), Holly Campbell (2nd) at Zatopek in Melbourne on Saturday. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/gNecaFSpqFSLkittedmeiY/8f1e7842-9307-44d7-a9a8-d362c0364139.JPG/r64_192_4108_2566_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
MEREWETHER athlete Rose Davies has collected another Zatopek medal, returning from injury with an eye towards Olympic qualification in 2024.
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Davies ranked third in the women's 10,000-metre event at Melbourne's Lakelands Stadium on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old, who also picked up bronze last year and a two-time national champion over the same distance previously, finished behind Lauren Ryan and Holly Campbell with less than two seconds between the placegetters.
Davies stopped the clock in 32 minutes, 55.82 seconds, having only returned to running six weeks ago.
Her personal best time is 31:18.54. The automatic Olympic qualifying standard for next year is 30:40.
Davies had been locked in a three-way battle with maiden Zatopek winner Ryan and runner-up Campbell.
"It still hasn't sunk in. To pull it off is always exciting, it's a testament to my coach and the training we are doing" Ryan told Athletics Australia media.
"With three laps to go I was thinking can I do it or can I not? The pace stepped up a bit and then with 200m to go I had that feeling of go now or it's not going to happen. I went and didn't look back."
Davies has donned the Aussie uniform at the Olympics (2021), Commonwealth Games (2022) and two World Championships (2022, 2023).
The Maurie Plant Meet is scheduled for Victoria on February 15.
Australian Athletics Championships, including the women's 5000m, take place in Adelaide in April (11-19).
Games in Paris go from July 26 to August 12.