Australia has delivered its most dominant performance ever at a World Athletics Indoor Championships, setting a new national benchmark with seven medals in Nanjing, China — the highest tally in the nation’s history at the prestigious global event.
The final medal, a bronze in the women’s 4x400m relay, carried historical weight. It was the first time an Australian team had reached the indoor relay podium in 26 years, dating back to the 1999 championships in Maebashi, Japan, where an anchor leg from Cathy Freeman helped secure silver. This time, a new generation of sprinters — Ellie Beer, Ella Connolly, Bella Pasquali, and Jemma Pollard — delivered the goods, crossing the line in a season’s best and cementing Australia’s place among the world’s sprinting elite.
The relay performance was the final exclamation point in a week that redefined Australia’s presence on the indoor stage. In total, athletes across track and field rose to the occasion with breakthrough performances and podium finishes.
View this post on Instagram
Among the standout moments:
-
Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson completed a historic gold-silver sweep in the women’s high jump, both clearing 1.97m in a thrilling final — the first time two Australians shared a world indoor podium in a field event.
-
Liam Adcock soared to bronze in the men’s long jump, marking a career-best showing on the world stage.
-
Ky Robinson and Jessica Hull delivered medals in distance events, showcasing Australia’s growing depth in middle- and long-distance running.
View this post on Instagram
- Rising sprint talent Lachlan Kennedy also claimed a medal, highlighting the next wave of Aussie speed.
While she narrowly missed the podium, Georgia Griffith’s performance in the women’s 1500m final was historic in its own right. Her time of 4:00.80 set a new Australian indoor record, underlining her emergence as one of the country’s top middle-distance threats.
View this post on Instagram
The World Athletics Indoor Championships have historically been dominated by nations with strong indoor traditions, such as the United States, Great Britain, and various European powerhouses. Australia, with its limited indoor facilities and summer-centric athletics calendar, has traditionally faced an uphill battle at these events. Prior to 2025, the nation’s best indoor championship showing was far more modest, with medals coming sporadically across editions.
This year’s result marks a turning point.
The team’s success in Nanjing not only reset the national record books but also signaled a shift in Australia’s approach to indoor competition — embracing it not just as a stepping stone to the outdoor season, but as a genuine target for world-class performance.
View this post on Instagram
The green and gold didn’t just show up in China. They made history.
