In our RT Snap Q&A series, we’ve had the privilege of interviewing some of the world’s best runners, delving into their extraordinary journeys, celebrating their achievements, and exploring the unwavering dedication that defines their careers.
Joshua Azzopardi
- Born: November 27, 1999
- Nationality: Australian
- 100 meters sprinter
Josh Azzopardi’s journey in athletics began at Camden Little Athletics Centre, where he first participated for fun while also balancing sports like AFL, rugby league, and Oztag. Despite his early ambitions of playing in the NRL, his focus shifted to athletics after running his first sub-11-second 100m in 2016. His dedication led to success in Little Athletics and a spot on the Australian team for the 2018 World Junior Championships. Though his early years in athletics were marked by challenges, including hamstring issues and near misses in international competition, Josh’s perseverance set the foundation for his eventual success on the senior stage.
In 2024, Azzopardi cemented his status as one of Australia’s premier sprinters, achieving significant milestones. He ran a personal best of 10.15 seconds in the 100 metres and secured gold at the Oceania Athletics Championships, defeating top competitors such as Sebastian Sultana. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in the Australian 4x100m relay team’s qualification for the Paris Olympics at the 2024 World Relay Championships. Azzopardi’s resilience and determination, evident in his recovery from injury setbacks, have led him to represent Australia in both the 100 metres and 4x100m relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Personal Bests
- 4×100 Metres Relay – 38.12
- 100 Metres -10.06
- 200 Metres – 20.82
- Long Jump – 7.04
- Long Jump – 6.49
- 60 Metres – 6.54
- 100 Metres – 10.14
- 60 Metres – 6.74
- Long Jump – 6.65
- 100 Yards – 9.64
RT: Can you walk us through the moment when you decided to fully commit to athletics over rugby league? What was the driving force behind that decision?
Josh: I had decided to go down the athletics path over Rugby League in late 2016. We had won the under 18s grand final with the Camden Rams and I decided to leave the sport on a high note. I was always just that little bit faster than my peers and would play on the wing or at fullback. I had done little athletics with the camden little athletics club since I was 6 years old with some not very consistent training in my early teenage years. I started to notice my athletics results started to improve with very minimal athletics training. Later that year I ran 10.78 at my zone little athletics carnival and that was the moment when I thought to myself that if I really nail into athletics and training, where it could potentially take me.
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RT: In 2024, you broke your 100m PB and became the equal eight fastest in Australian history. What adjustments did you make in your training to achieve this milestone?
Josh: I broke my PB recently again in June of this year (10.14) putting me equal 8th all-time alongside my good mate Jake Penny. We focused a lot on quality of quantity this season and with the help of the NSWIS medical staff and my personal chiropractor, we eliminated any potential injuries that could have occurred. My coach and I knew that if I were able to get to race day fit and healthy with no injuries, we could do some damage this year and damage we did.
RT: You’ve faced several setbacks due to injuries. What have these challenges taught you about resilience and perseverance in your athletic career?
Josh: These injuries have taught me to be patient alongside resilience and perseverance. It taught me that anything you want will not come easy and you have to earn it in all aspects of training, down to sleep, recovery, nutrition etc. There were days where I’d wake up and feel like I’m dragging a chain and a rock behind me but then I would have to bring myself back to earth and remember to enjoy the journey and enjoy the ups and downs of elite sport.
RT: You’ve mentioned that perseverance and determination are key to your success. Can you share a specific moment when these qualities made all the difference?
Josh: There were a few years between 2018-2022 when things just weren’t going the way I had planned and wanted them to. I had plateaued and was looking every which way to find answers. I always knew what I wanted, and that was to go to the Olympics. In those moments of doubt and discouragement, I just had to get back on track and get the work in. Some days were harder than others but each day I still found myself at the track and in the gym no matter how I felt.
RT: Can you describe a typical training week for you during the peak of your season? How does it differ from your off-season regimen?
Josh: In peak season, our training sessions are very quality. We want to achieve the best reps out of my body. We incorporate 1080 overspeed sessions, speed endurance sessions, acceleration sessions, on top of 2 gym days a week and a pilates day to refine any little 1% strength areas I can improve. In the off-season it’s a grind type of training style, with reps a little longer (120-300m) with shorter recovery periods. We incorporate stair sessions at the start of the offseason to get a bit of base fitness with slowly fading the stair sessions out coming into season.
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RT: Looking back at your career so far, what achievement are you most proud of, and why?
Josh: Definitely this year and qualifying for the 100m and breaking the national record in the 4×100 at the Olympics. Both qualifying individually and breaking the national record seemed nearly impossible from the outside looking in. I had never qualified for a major championship individually so going into the offseason it was all about doing something I’ve never done before. I literally had to run around the world to chase conditions and times to put myself within striking distance of qualifying and winning Oceania’s was another moment that I was very proud of.
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RT:As someone who started athletics at a young age, what advice would you give to young athletes who aspire to reach the highest levels in their sport?
