Rhydian Cowley (Vic)

DOB:  Jan 1991

Age: 

Coach: Brent Vallance 
Event: 20km/50km Walk
Occupation: Athlete
Twitter: rhydianc 
Instagram: rhydiancowley 

20km Walk: 1:22:07 Adelaide AUS, 21 Feb 2016
50km Walk: 3:52:58 Melbourne AUS, 01 Dec 2019

Rhydian Cowley has been a constant in Australian race walking for over a decade, impressing on the world stage since his days as a junior. The endurance machine has represented Australia on many occasions, including the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha - and now the Tokyo Olympics. 

Cowley made his international debut in the junior event at the 2008 World Walking Cup in Russia, following up with another World Walking Cup and the IAAF World Junior Championships in 2010. 

He made his senior debut in 2012, competing at the World Race Walking Cup aged just 21, and then the following year lined up at the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow. 

There were further team starts in 2014 (World Walking Cup) and 2015 (Summer Universiade). Rhydian was unfortunate to miss selection for the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing as the fourth fastest qualified athlete but bounced back the following year to make his Olympic debut in 2016 in Rio where he placed 33rd in 1:23.30. Selected for the 2017 IAAF World Championships, he placed 56th in the 20km walk in 1:30.40. 

In February 2018 at the Australian Championships 20km walk in Adelaide, he placed tenth, but importantly as the third Australian Rhydian secured Commonwealth Games selection. 

In 2019, Cowley qualified for both the Doha World Championships and Tokyo Olympics with a performance of 1:20:19 at the Asian Race Walking Championships in Japan - his time elevating him to seventh on the Australian all-time list. Later that year, Cowley proceeded to also qualify in the 50km walk when clocking 3:52:58 - ultimately choosing to compete in this event at the Tokyo Games. 

After being encouraged to get into Little Athletics by his dad, Rhydian started race walking when he was eight. He was coached by former 50km walk world champion, Simon Baker before joining Brent Vallance's accomplished group, and has completed a Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Commerce, Deakin University (2009-2014).