I think it’s appropriate that each sporting calendar is called a season, because truth be told, sport can be so seasonal at times. For me this ‘season’ I can truly say I experienced some of the highest highs and lowest lows sport can offer, and I’m all the better for it. Nothing I did this year went according to plan, but.....
In April 2019, Irish-born Australian Sinead Diver, moved to third on the Aussie women’s all-time list after finishing seventh at the London Marathon with a time of 2:24:11. This time was also a 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualifier and the fastest time by an Australian in 12 years. The only Australian women to have run quicker are Benita Willis and Lisa Ondieki. We caught up with Sinead for a flash interview.
By Samantha Schrauth
We scoured all junior results from across Australia in the latter half of 2018 and found 10 exciting juniors with huge futures. It’s always hard leaving so many talented athletes off the list, but below are 10 juniors loaded with talent, with the world at their feet.
DAMITA...
Have you ever given something everything you had and expected something amazing to happen, only to unknowingly sabotage yourself and your success? That was essentially my 2019 season in a nutshell.
By Matt Lynch
This is going to be a full-on, comprehensive, top to bottom deep dive of the 2019 Australian/New Zealand sprinting season. Or not. I don’t know. You can decide at the end. Either way, I’ll attempt to review, evaluate and calculate the season of every track event that doesn’t have a bell.
I decided to go down the road less travelled by Australian junior runners, when I passed up the opportunity to go to college in the United States. This was not an easy decision, like all decisions that go against the grain, it poses a risk due to uncertainty. My dad was particularly concerned. As a junior boxing champion, who wasn’t allowed to compete internationally due to the apartheid sanctions in South Africa, my dad struggled to understand why I would turn down an opportunity he would’ve killed for. There were multiple reasons which influenced my decision, but the certifying reason for staying in Australia was that I knew it was my best chance of becoming a great runner, not just a good runner.
Brendan Davies is the best-known ultra-runner in the southern hemisphere.
His amazing story, as never told before in this depth, it is outlined in an 8-page feature interview in Australian Athlete bookazine. Order your copy now (printing early December) and receive a free pair of Steigen socks – the best...
COACH’S PERSPECTIVE – DENG AND BOL’S BREAKTHROUGH YEAR
By Justin Rinaldi
At the start of the 2018 perpetration period, Joseph Deng, Peter Bol and I talked about the goals for the year ahead and what we wanted to achieve. In order they were: 1. Finish first and second at the Commonwealth...
Alexandra Roberts is a junior Javelin Thrower from Queensland, one of Australia’s best juniors and a World Junior representative. She blogged for Australian Athlete magazine edition 2. Below are some excerpts:
By Alexandra Roberts
DOB: 9 April 2001
Hometown: Forestdale, Queensland
Coach: Brett Green
Events and PB’s:
Javelin Throw 500g 53.01m Australian Junior...
Elite athletes are like everyone else and contend with numerous day-to-day life challenges. Balancing these issues with what is required to be an elite athlete is something Brooke Stratton knows all too well.
