The Golden Age of Australian Athletics
Olympic long jumper David Culbert describes the current era in Australian athletics as a “giant jigsaw puzzle.” He explains that many different pieces have come together to form the richest era in Australian athletics since the 1950s. This golden age could set Australia up for record Olympic medal hauls in 2028 and at a home Games in 2032.
Since the halcyon days of the 1950s, Australian athletics has always had one or two world-beaters. However, what sets this era apart is the depth of talent. A core of seasoned campaigners, including Nina Kennedy, Nicola Olyslagers, Kurtis Marschall, Matt Denny, Jemima Montag, and Jessica Hull, is joined by a galaxy of rising stars such as Gout Gout, Lachlan Kennedy, Cameron Myers, Claudia Hollingsworth, Delta Amidzovski, and Isaac Beacroft. This depth spans a wide range of events, from sprints to middle distances, long jump to high jump, discus to pole vault, and even walking.
Among the notable medal hauls in recent years are seven medals, including one gold, won in Paris two years ago—our most prolific tally at an Olympics since 1956. Another standout is the 15 medals, including three golds, won in Peru at the world under-20 championships in 2024, which was our highest tally in the 40-year history of the event.
The boom in Australian athletics is reflected not only by the weight of medals but also by the increasing number of athletes qualifying for global championships, the upsurge in athletes reaching global finals, and the avalanche of national records that have fallen.
Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, the gold medallist in the women’s 200 metres at the 1995 world indoor championships, says it’s exciting to see so much talent emerging, especially at the junior level. She mentions precocious talents like 14-year-old West Australian phenom Charlotte Ehioghae, who recently became the second-fastest female 200m runner in under-18 Australian history.
Key Factors Behind the Success
A key man behind the golden age is Andrew Faichney, the general manager of high performance at Australian Athletics (AA). He notes that the Tokyo Olympics was a big step in the direction of this success, with the momentum building on itself. Faichney highlights the importance of having a generation of talented athletes all arriving at the same time.
One major reason for the resurgence is the financial backing sportswear giants are giving our athletes. Nic Bideau, a leading coach and agent in Australian athletics, points out that in past decades only a few athletes had shoe deals, but now there are 70-80 athletes contracted with major brands like Nike, Adidas, ASICS, Puma, and New Balance. At least 25 of them make $100,000 or more each year from their shoe deals.
The booming popularity of distance running in Australia has made our best distance runners highly marketable. Social run clubs are popping up, fun run registrations are sky-rocketing, and Strava is all the rage. This popularity has led to increased competition and better opportunities for athletes.
Coaching and Cultural Changes
Athletes are coached through a decentralized model, allowing them to train with anyone they want. Culbert emphasizes that there’s no longer a need for a “hot shot” overseas head coach. Instead, there’s a focus on collaboration between coaches. Faichney notes that there’s a new generation of coaches leading the way, learning from previous generations.
Bideau highlights a cultural change in Australian athletics, where there’s less focus on individual egos and more on the strength of the team. He mentions that athletes now support each other and focus on collective success rather than personal recognition.
Competition and Rising Tide
Competition is the most important thing for athletes to perform well, according to Gainsford-Taylor. She points to the men’s 200m final at this year’s national senior championships, where Gout was pushed to his limits by Aidan Murphy. Both athletes broke the national record, showcasing the depth of talent in Australian athletics.
With every record Cameron Myers breaks, every global medal Nicola Olyslagers, Nina Kennedy, and Jessica Hull win, and every deeply competitive 800m race on home soil, those athletes become more empowered. Faichney says that Australian athletes are now aiming to win medals, not just make finals.
The Pieces of the Puzzle
Culbert describes the current era as a “giant jigsaw puzzle,” with many pieces contributing to the success. These include coaching, culture, technology, gun athletes, competition, a rising tide, shoe deals, funding, the relay program, the US college system, nutrition, psychology, the Australian Sports Commission, the ban of Russia, and luck.
Regarding luck, consider the story behind the emergence of Gout Gout. His parents migrated from South Sudan to Australia via Egypt, and just so happened to pick Australia. Gout could easily have been born in Ottawa, and be running for Canada; instead, he was born in Ipswich, and this precious athletic gift is Australia’s.
“It’s a giant jigsaw puzzle, high-performance sport, and the pieces are in the right spots at the moment,” Culbert says. “Ride the wave while it’s here.”
