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BIOGRAPHYA two-time Zatopek 10,000m champion, Rose Davies made her Australian debut at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. In December 2022 she placed third in the Zatopek 10,000m, but a month later ran a brilliant race to dominate the Australian team selection trials for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships, to be held in Bathurst NSW – just a few hours from her Newcastle home. She lined up in her fourth Australian team going on to finish a tremendous 23rd in the women’s 10km XC event at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships. Second to Jessica Hull in the National 3000m and 5000m titles, she then clocked two significant international performances, a 3000m PB of 8:44.07 in Japan in May, followed by a near 5000m PB in Norway. She continued that form into her second world championships in Budapest clocking 15:07.93 in her heat for 10th place and just missing the final by two places and a few seconds. It has easily been her best year. Rose’s great form has continued into 2024, setting a 3000m PB (8:39.81), winning her first National title, the open 5000m and on three occasions smashing her 5000m PB, the later 14:41.65 breaking the National record. + + + + + Rose Davies was an athletics prodigy in her early teens, but patience from her coach in the transition years from junior to senior is now reaping rewards as the now 23-year-old is on track to fulfill the potential she showed in her youth. Newcastle’s Rose Davies first started running around 12 and within two years was the best in the nation, clocking startling times of 2:08 (800m) and 4:27 (1500m). She would not surpass those times for five years. Aged 16 she remembers watching the Rio Olympics without a thought she could ever qualify for an Olympics. “I am so grateful I am in this position I am today and I think this shows how quickly things can change,” she recalled. She didn’t competed for most of 2017 and 2018 with inflammation issues in her hip. Due to injury, her motivation was low and she was enjoying her teenage years away from running. During this on-again, off-again period she found coach-Scott Westcott’s approach critical. She was not fully committed, but he allowed her to run as she wished, sometimes missing session or only running part of the program. There were times where she had doubt’s she would make it back. In late 2018 she started to emerge off track, placing third at the national U20 cross country and running a good 10km of 34:34 at Burnie in October. Back on the track she won the Lisa Ondieki U20 3000m and by late summer of the 2018/19 season, where she was now only 19, had clocked 4:19 (1500m) and 15:45 (5000m). Her progression continued in 2019 and into 2020 before COVID shut down the season. While still in her teens she was second in the national cross country and third Aussie at Zatopek with 33:25.52. Then a 15:30 over 5000m in the deepest national women’s 5000m in history. She negotiated the challenging COVID-effected year in 2020 to run an outstanding 32:02 road 10km in Launceston in December. In January 2021 she was outstanding with a career highlight winning Zatopek in an outstanding 31:39.97. In late May she achieved her first Olympic qualifier of 15:08.48 over 5000m in Holland and made her Australian team debut at the Tokyo Olympics. + + + + + Inspiration: I really looked up to athletes like Eloise Wellings. She really has a "never give up attitude" and with all the setbacks she has had in the sport she has always come out the other side stronger…..Most influential person: My coach Scott Westcott understands me as not only an athlete but also outside of running. I have a lot of trust in him as a coach and I believe that is key. Scott went to the 2016 Olympics in Rio so he understands the pressure of the sport and can guide me through that. I am really grateful to have him on my side…Advice to your young self? Be patient and enjoy the ride. @ 21 May 2024 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au
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