Australian Success

Following AusTriathlon’s establishment down under, Aussie triathletes were successful almost from the start, with Greg Welch picking up the Elite Male World Championships title in 1990 in Florida. Miles Stewart followed this up with a hometown win in 1991 on the Gold Coast. In the female category, Michellie Jones won successive championships in Muskoka, Canada in 1992 and Manchester in 1993. From that year on, Australia’s dominance of the sport at the elite level continued with many Elite, U23 and Junior titles over the years making Australia one of the most successful triathlon nations in ITU World Championships racing.

The continued success of elite and age group athletes at World Championships has been augmented by success at Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games. Australia has won Olympic medals on five occasions beginning with Michellie Jones who won a silver medal at Sydney 2000. Four years’ later Loretta Harrop won silver in Athens and in 2008 Emma Snowsill became Australia’s first Olympic gold medallist in triathlon with Emma Moffatt also claiming Bronze. At London 2012, Erin Densham continued Australia’s proud Olympic history in triathlon winning a bronze medal.

Triathlon made its debut at the Paralympic Games in 2016 and Australia showed its dominance from the beginning with Katie Kelly winning a gold medal in the Women’s PTVI category. Kelly was guided by Olympic silver medallist Michellie Jones. In Tokyo, Lauren Parker claimed a silver medal in the Women’s PTWC.

Australia has also experienced success at Commonwealth Games beginning in Manchester 2002 with Miles Stewart who won silver and Nicole Hackett who won bronze. At a home Commonwealth Games in Melbourne 2006, Australia collected two gold medals through Brad Kahlefeldt and Emma Snowsill as well as a bronze medal won by Peter Robertson. Triathlon returned to the Commonwealth Games program in Glasgow 2014 where the Australian team took home the Bronze medal in the Team Relay.

At a second home Games in 2018, the Australian team of Gillian Backhouse, Jake Birtwhistle, Ashleigh Gentle and Matt Hauser won gold in the Team Relay and Birtwhistle also won silver in the men’s event. Para-Triathlon made its Commonwealth Games debut on the Gold Coast and Australia collected four-medals through Emily Tapp (silver, PTWC), Lauren Parker (bronze, PTWC), Nic Beveridge (silver, PTWC) and Bill Chaffey (bronze, PTWC).

At the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Australia won bronze In the Team Relay with Hauser backing up to win bronze in the men’s event. Sam Harding won a silver medal in the Men’s PTVI while Jonathan Goerlack won bronze.

 

 

Australia at the Olympic Games

 

Men

Women

Paris 2024

Name

Place

Name

Place

 

Matthew Hauser

7th

Sophie Linn

21st

 

Luke Willian

46th

Natalie Van Coevodren

42nd

 

Mixed Relay

12th

 

 

Tokyo 2020

Name

Place

Name

Place

 

Jake Birtwhistle

16th

Emma Jeffcoat

26th

 

Matthew Hauser

24th

Ashleigh Gentle

Lap

 

Aaron Royle

26th

Jaz Hedgeland

Lap

 

Mixed Relay

9th

 

 

Rio 2016

Name

Place

Name

Place

 

Aaron Royle

9th

Emma Moffatt

6th

 

Ryan Bailie

10th

Erin Densham

12th

 

Ryan Fisher

24th

Ashleigh Gentle

26th

London 2012

Name

Place

Name

Place

 

Courtney Atkinson

18th

Erin Densham

3rd

 

Brad Kahlefeldt

32nd

Emma Jackson

8th

 

Brendon Sexton

35th

Emma Moffatt

DNF

Beijing 2008

Name

Place

Name

Place

 

Courtney Atkinson

11th

Emma Snowsill

1st

 

Brad Kahlefeldt

16th

Emma Moffatt

3rd

 

 

 

Erin Densham

23rd

Athens 2004

Name

Place

Name

Place

 

Greg Bennett

4th

Loretta Harrop

2nd

 

Simon Thompson

10th

Rina Hill

33rd

 

Peter Robinson

24th

Maxine Seer

DNF

Sydney 2000

Name

Place

Name

Place

 

Miles Stewart

6th

Michellie Jones

2nd

 

Craig Walton

27th

Loretta Harrop

5th

 

Peter Robinson

34th

Nicole Hackett

9th

 

Australia at the Paralympic Games

 

Men

Women

Paris 2024

Name

Place

Name

Place

 

Sam Harding (PTVI)

5th

Lauren Parker (PTWC)

1st

 

Nic Beveridge (PTWC)

6th

Anu Francis (PTS2)

4th

 

Jack Howell (PTS4)

7th

Sally Pilbeam (PTS4)

7th

 

David Bryant (PTS4)

8th

Grace Brimelow (PTS4)

DSQ

 

Jeremy Peacock (PTS4)

8th

 

 

 

Thomas Goodman (PTS2)

9th

 

 

 

Justin Godfrey (PTS3)

11th

 

 

 

Liam Twomey (PTS4)

13th

 

 

Tokyo 2020

Name

Place

Name

Place

 

Nic Beveridge (PTWC)

7th

Lauren Parker (PTWC)

2nd

 

David Bryant (PTS5)

7th

Katie Kelly (PTVI)

6th

 

Jonathan Goerlach (PTVI)

8th

Emily Tapp (PTWC)

DNF

Rio 2016

Name

Place

Name

Place

 

Bill Chaffey (PT1)

4th

Katie Kelly (PT5)

1st

 

Nic Beveridge (PT1)

9th

Kate Doughty (PT4)

5th

 

Brant Garvey (PT2)

10th

Clair McLean (PT4)

9th

Australia at the World Triathlon Championships

 

Men

Women

Elite

Name

Year

Name

Year

 

Peter Robertson

2005

Emma Moffatt

2010

 

Peter Robertson

2003

Emma Moffatt

2009

 

Peter Robertson

2001

Emma Snowsill

2006

 

Chris McCormack

1997

Emma Snowsill

2005

 

Mile Stewart

1991

Emma Snowsill

2003

 

Greg Welch

1990

Nicole Hackett

2000

 

 

 

Loretta Harrop

1999

 

 

 

Joanne King

1998

 

 

 

Emma Carney

1997

 

 

 

Jackie Gallagher

1996

 

 

 

Emma Carney

1994

 

 

 

Michellie Jones

1993

 

 

 

Michellie Jones

1992

Para

Name

Year

Name

Year

 

Bill Chaffey

2015

Lauren Parker

2023

 

Bill Chaffey

2014

Lauren Parker

2022

 

Bill Chaffey

2012

Lauren Parker

2021

 

Bill Chaffey

2011

Lauren Parker

2019

 

Bill Chaffey

2009

Emily Tapp

2018

 

John Maclean

1996

Emily Tapp

2017

 

 

 

Katie Kelly

2017

 

 

 

Katie Kelly

2015

 

 

 

Sally Pilbeam

2015

 

 

 

Sally Pilbeam

2014

Under 23

Name

Year

Name

Year

 

Jake Birtwhistle

2015

Charlotte McShane

2013

 

Aaron Royle

2012

Emma Jackson

2010

 

Brad Kahlefeldt

2002

Erin Densham

2006

 

 

 

Annabel Luxford

2004

 

 

 

Nikki Egyed

2003

 

Men

Women

Junior

Name

Year

Name

Year

 

Matthew Hauser

2017

Ashleigh Gentle

2010

 

Courtney Atkinson

1999

Felicity Abram

2003

 

Chris Hill

1995

Nicole Hackett

1998

 

Ben Bright

1994

Nicole Hackett

1997

 

 

 

Joanne King

1996

 

 

 

Clare Carney

1994

Australia at the Commonwealth Games

  Name Place Name Place
Birmingham 2022 Men's Final   Women's Final  
Matthew Hauser 3rd Sophie Linn 5th
Jake Birtwhistle 4th Charlotte McShane 11th
Brandon Copeland 22nd Natalie Van Coevorden 14th
Men's PTVI Final   Women's PTVI Final  
Sam Harding (with guide Luke Harvey) 2nd Erica Burleigh (with Felicity Cradick) 6th
Jonathan Goerlach (with guide David Mainwaring) 3rd
Gerrard Gosens (with guide Hayden Armstrong) 6th
Mixed Team Relay Final
Jake Birtwhistle 3rd Natalie Van Coevorden 3rd
Matthew Hauser Sophie Linn
Gold Coast 2018 Men's Final   Women's Final  
Jake Birtwhistle 2nd Ashleigh Gentle 5th
Matthew Hauser 4th Gillian Backhouse 9th
Luke Willian 8th Charlotte McShane 11th
Men's PTWC Final   Women's PTWC Final  
Nic Beveridge 2nd Emily Tapp 2nd
Bill Chaffey 3rd Lauren Parker 3rd
Scott Crowley 5th Sara Tait 6th
Mixed Team Relay Final
Jake Birtwhistle 1st Ashleigh Gentle 1st
Matthew Hauser Gillian Backhouse
Glasgow 2014 Men's Final   Women's Final  
Ryan Bailie 5th Emma Jackson 5th
Aaron Royle 8th Emma Moffatt 7th
Dan Wilson 9th Ashleigh Gentle 9th
Mixed Team Relay Final
Aaron Royle 3rd Emma Moffatt 3rd
Ryan Bailie Emma Jackson
Melbourne 2006 Men's Final   Women's Final  
Brad Kahlefeldt 1st Emma Snowsill 1st
Peter Robertson 3rd Annabel Luxford 5th
Simon Thompson 11th Felicity Abram 14th
Manchester 2002 Men's Final   Women's Final  
Miles Stewart 2nd Nicole Hackett 3rd
Chris McCormack 5th Michellie Jones 6th
Peter Robertson 9th Loretta Harrop DNF