Reece Holder

BIOGRAPHY

In 2023 at the World University Games, Queenslander Reece Holder seemingly emerged from nowhere, but the reality was it was nearly a decade in the making. In the 400m at those World University Games in Chengdu in August, Reece clocked a Paris Olympic qualifier of 44.79 to become the fifth fastest in Australian history. It was the fastest time by an Aussie for 17 years.

Reece Holder has done athletics for as long as he can remember, always running at school carnivals. He joined Redlands Little Athletics Centre, then Balmoral and later Thompson Estate Athletics. 

At age 15 he won the National under-17 400m title in 49.11, but by the end of the year, now 16, he had run a promising time of 47.35, closing the 2018/19 summer with a best 47.22 and two Australian titles.

In early 2020 and just days before COVID shut done the world, the now 17-year had lowered his best to an impressive 46.44.

Although he didn’t set a PB in 2021 he did win the National junior title and was selected in the World junior team that didn’t travel to the championships in Nairobi. His 2022 campaign was restricted by one of his biggest challengers of his career – injuries.

But in 2023 Reece was back in stunning form, setting PBs from 100m to 400m. Set for a big Australian championships, again an injury keep him off the track, but a week later he set another 400m PB, now at 46.00 seconds. Enroute to the 2023 World University Games, in Switzerland in June he smashed his PB clocking 45.65. Then in August he negotiated the heat, semi and final at the university Games to take silver in 44.79. John Steffensen back in 2006 was the previous fastest Aussie.

Unfortunately, Rhys was unable to complete the 2024 domestic season when in the 400m semi-final at Nationals he suffered a leg injury. In his return to competition in mid-June in Europe he ran a stunning 45.19.

Hero/idol: I definitely look up to the likes of Johnson, Niekerk and Gardiner purely because of the resilience and determination these athletes have had during their career….Most influential person in career: Sounds cliché but Michael Jordan due to the amount of times he got knocked down and got right back up…Advice to your young self: Motivation goes up and down like life but, but the grind for your dreams never will….Hobbies: Camping, 4wd and fishing…Sporting ambition: To leave nothing on the track every time I compete…Occupation: Construction Cadet at McNab…Biggest challenge faced: As an athlete it is injury disruption to my training and competition schedules. Ranging from minor strains to serious issues like muscle tears…Interesting facts: triple citizen of Australia, Trinidad and Tobago and GBR.

@ 19 June 2024 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au