 |
|
 |
||||
BIOGRAPHYAndrew ‘Andy’ Buchanan’s rise to the top of the Australian distance running scene has been a long time coming, but for the proud Bendigoian, his seemingly ‘overnight’ success has been years and many miles in the making. As a two-time national champion, Andy is a well credentialled cross country athlete, but in Birmingham, he made his Australian debut on a different surface, the road, as he tackled the marathon - a distance he had completed only once before, producing a scintillating 2:12:23 on debut at the Hamburg Marathon in April, 2022. At the Commonwealth Games he placed seventh in a time of 2:15.40. In January 2023 he returned to cross country in Canberra, where he placed fifth in the Australian team trial for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships. He was named in his second National team for the championships to be held in Bathurst in February, where he finished in 44th place. +++++ Born in Colac, but raised in Bendigo, it might be said that marathon running is in Andy’s blood, with both his parents completing all six of the world majors. Famously, Alan and Jenny finished the Boston Marathon in 2013, the year of the bomber, however luckily, both were well finished and back in the hotel room before the danger ensued. Despite this pedigree, the now 33-year old only began to take his craft more seriously in the later years of high school, progressively increasing his dedication and the hard hours required for distance running after relative success through school competition. Training by correspondence under the wing of coach Scott Westcott since 2014 - a Commonwealth Games, World Championships and Olympic Games representative himself - the pair first met after a coaching course where Scott grabbed a lift from Andy to the airport on the way home. Averaging 160-170km mileage per week, Andy is perhaps best known for his dominance in the Australian cross country scene. Winning his first Australian Cross Country title in 2017, he followed up in 2018, saluting again to become one of only four Australian men to record back-to-back national Cross Country titles (Dave Power, Robert Vagg, Rob De Castella and Mizan Mehari). “It’s incredible really, you don’t realise until a few days after when it really starts to sink in that you are the national champion. To be an Australian champion is something that can never be taken away from you and something that I have worked extremely hard for,” Buchanan said of his 2018 title. As often is the case with many elite marathoners, Andy relishes the enduring slog of running and the camaraderie of the Victorian XCR series, racing for the ‘Bendigo Bats’ as a member of the Bendigo University Athletics Club. Andy’s best Half Marathon time came on the Gold Coast this year in 1:02:25 for the win, while in the 2019 Zatopek:10, he finished seventh in 28:26.14. A high school teacher at Bendigo South East College, he teaches Year 7, 8 and 10, while also finding the time to pass on his expertise through a private coaching business - Run2PB - as well as at his school’s athlete development program. “The kid’s show a big interest in my running,” Andy says, as he fits in his training before and after school hours. “Although funnily when I returned from the Hamburg marathon, my Year 7’s thought I’d be disappointed because I didn’t win the race. So they definitely set a high standard for me!” Setting a new personal best of 2:08:54 in Hamburg in April of 2024 to come agonisingly close to the 2:08:10 Olympic qualifying standard, Buchanan’s Olympic dream appeared to be on hold for another four years, but an injury to Brett Robinson saw Buchanan get the call up just 10 days before the Paris Games - eligible to replace Robinson who had earned a quota spot for Australia. “When I saw Brett was calling, I let it ring a few times as I was worried it was a pocket dial. To get the news from Brett himself shows the type of person he is,” Buchanan said. “We are mates, but it was still an awkward situation. I was disappointed for him that he couldn’t compete but at the same time stoked that I get an opportunity.” Buchanan will make his Olympic debut in Paris where he will run the fifth marathon of his career. Education: Graduated with a Bachelor of Outdoor and Physical Education at La Trobe, Bendigo…Hero/Idol: Steve Moneghetti, not only for his running performances but the impact he had on running in his town - Ballarat…Hobbies: “I quite enjoy the share market and following that.”…Advice to your young self: Enjoy the journey. Don’t get caught up on results as a Junior…Biggest challenge faced: I’ve never had any major injuries so haven’t faced many challenges yet…Start in the sport: I started training between 17-18, my parents are both marathon runners so I’ve always been around the sport but didn’t start training until quite late. I didn’t start competing until a year later. However, I did do school competition through High School. I started training and competing outside of school because I had some success in it.
|