Olivia Sandery

BIOGRAPHY

After a highly successful career in her late teens, Adelaide race walker Olivia Sandery has transitioned beautifully into the senior ranks.

Olivia had good early success in both running and race walking. 
“When I was seven, my sister wanted to try out Little Athletics so my parents brought us both out to have a go. I began race walking there as an Under 8 but preferred the running events over the walk. However, in 2016, I made the U13 ALAC team in the 1500m walk and the 1500m run and started to enjoy race walking more as I began training now more.

In 2022, her last year as a junior, Olivia made her Australian team debut at the World Race Walking Teams Championship, where she placed fifth in the under-20 race and claimed a teams silver medal with her Australian teammates. In August she contested her second junior world championship in the year, placing fourth in the 10,000
track walk at the World U20 Championships in Cali Columbia.

Olivia explained her recent progress.
“Over the past two years, I have been more consistent and specific with all components of my training which has definitely led to some major improvements. I have also had the opportunity to train with some of Australia’s best race walkers and coaches which has taught me a lot.”

A month after her 20th birthday in early 2023 she clocked a brilliant 1:30.14 as she successfully managed the graduation to the new distance of 20km walk. In March she went even faster, clocking the stunning time of 1:28.52 – now the fourth fastest in Australian history. Unfortunately, she was be disqualified in her senior Australian debut at the world championships in Budapest. In early 2024 she competed at her second World Race Walking Teams Championship in Turkey, where she completed in the Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay.

Influences: My first coach, Bob Cruise, has been very influential in my athletic career so far. He taught me the majority of what I know about race walking and has always been extremely supportive of me. He is also someone that I admire because of his dedication towards the sport, as well as his endless list of achievements...Challenges faced: The biggest challenge I have faced has come in the past year since finishing school. It has sometimes been a struggle balancing university, training, work and social commitments and I have often had to make sacrifices to fit things in...Hero: In sport, I look up to the likes of Allyson Felix and Simone Biles who have shown great resilience in overcoming adversity and challenges within their sport...Advice to your young self: Have fun with sport when you’re young and don’t take it too seriously because I’ve learnt that you don’t need to be the best when you’re young to be successful now.

@ 21 May 2024 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au