Jaryd Clifford

EVENTS:  1500m, 5000m T12

AGE:  23 (DOB 5 July 1999)

COACH:  Philo Saunders

ATHLETICS CLUB: Diamond Valley Athletics Club

PARALYMPIC HISTORY: Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020

PERSONAL BESTS: 1500m - 3:41.34 / 5000m - 14:04.88 / Marathon - 2:19:08

BIOGRAPHY

The sheer joy of running seems to be written on Jaryd Clifford's face every time he pulls on the singlet and shoes.

In 2021 with the delayed Paralympic on the horizon, Jaryd was training well in Canberra under coach Philo Saunders. When competition resumed, he compiled a series of qualify 1500m times, through the summer season where he not only set PBs but broke the T12 1500m world record. In April 2021 he shocked the running community when helping to pace a marathon for one of his role models Michael Roeger, he decided to finish the race and broke the world record with a stunning time of 2:19.08. 

At his second Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Jaryd finished on the podium in all three of his events, the T13 1500m, T13 5000m and T12 marathon. He won bronze, silver and silver respectively in the three events. His three-medal haul in individual events, was the most by an Aussies male since the 2008 Paralympics.

At the 2019 Para-Athletics World Championships in Dubai, Jaryd was unstoppable, winning gold in the T13 1500m (3:47.78) and 5000m (14:40.40). 

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Diamond Valley young gun, Jaryd Clifford, began to lose his eyesight at the age of three. He had been diagnosed with early-onset vitelliform macular dystrophy. 

As a long-distance runner at school, Jaryd competed against able-bodied athletes his age at the 2012 Australian Junior Athletics Championships. Although he placed 61st, Jaryd was incredibly proud of his result, as he was one of only a handful of participants that did not have a coach, nor had he started training properly. Realising his natural ability, Jaryd enlisted in Little Athletics for two seasons before joining the Diamond Valley athletics club, where Max Balchin coached him.

Jaryd made his debut for Australia at the 2015 IPC World Championships in Doha, where he placed seventh in the 5000m. Although he matched this result at the 2016 Paralympic Games, Jaryd shaved 48.38 seconds off the time and set an Oceania record in the 1500m.

Jaryd compiled an extraordinary 2016/17 summer season, slashing seconds from his personal bests and just missing the T12 1500m world record with a time of 3:49.05. He turned 18 just before the 2017 World Para-Athletics Championships where he magnificently won bronze in the T13 1500m in a time of 3:53.31. In early 2018 he broke the men’s 1500m T12 world record at the 2018 Sydney Grand Prix. His performance also earned him selection for the World Athletics U20 World Championships. Becoming the first Australian Paralympian to compete at an able-bodied world championship. 

At the 2019 Para-Athletics World Championships in Dubai, Jaryd was unstoppable, winning gold in the T13 1500m (3:47.78) and 5000m (14:40.40). 

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Running with a vision impairment has its challenges, and as Jaryd’s sight deteriorates, he must continue to adapt. He is now running with a guide, best mate and long-time training partner Tim Logan, and because they have run together for years, they already naturally take the same strides. If ever there was a dynamic duo, these two are it, and it is a partnership which is serving him well. For the marathon in Tokyo, Jaryd required two guides, so Canberra training partner Vincent Donnadieu joined the Clifford team.

@ 15 June 2023 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au