The 2004 world cross country (WXC) in Brussels was certainly the highlight of my career. It was my 4th world cross country (my first time in the 8km race) and without a doubt, going into it, I was in my best shape of my career to date.
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...
JACK RAYNER: TURNING DROSS INTO GOLD
By Len Johnson
“All the big Australian stars. Deek, Mona – definitely, I’d like to make a big impact like them in the marathon one day.” - Jack Rayner
For a year which is ending on a massive high, 2018 certainly did not start auspiciously for...
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.
We threw a rigid training structure out the window and completely listened to my body this season. That combined with a little bit of luck and building a bit of resilience into my body meant I have been able to compete consistently.” - Henry Frayne
By Tim Rosen
For Henry Frayne,...
By Julian Spence
The 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships were hosted by the city of Doha, Qatar. In 2014, when the announcement of the host city was made, I paid very little notice. My five-year-old marathon PR of 2:27 was as underwhelming as my training diary.
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.
Before I delve into my theories on 800m training, I think it must be noted that I’m very new to coaching elite athletes. I only started coaching junior athletes in 2012, when Luke was still a schoolboy. And I only became an ‘elite’ senior coach when I took over Luke’s training again after the 2017 world championships. I am still learning my craft. I am forever devouring any information I can get from other coaches I speak with, as well as books, online coaching articles and any training logs that I can find.
By Clio Ozanne-Jaques
When I think about representing Australia at the World U20 Track and Field Championships, I always think about the very beginning of my athletic career and all the people who have helped me get to where I am today. I started this unconditional passion when I won...
