Claudia Hollingsworth

Claudia Hollingsworth had a quick rise in athletics, from a time of 2:08 for 800m at age 15 to the fastest Australian junior ever over 800m and 1500m aged 19. 

Claudia started athletics around year 4 at primary school, competing in House Athletics and also enjoying fun runs. She showed tremendous promise early on, being selected for the Pacific School Games while in Primary school and competing at the National Primary schools cross country.

In Year 7, at Mentone Grammar, she had met her now coach, Craig Mottram – the head of cross country and athletics. “I found real culture and fun which encouraged me to stay in the sport.”

She also learnt a life lesson forgetting to register for the state championships consequently missing out on the opportunity to race at nationals.

Just before COVID hit, she was starting to run impressive times on the track, but soon she was in lockdown, but she emerged in late 2021, aged 15 Claudia had run the stunning time of 2:01.60, making her the fourth fastest in Australian U20 history. 

In 2022 she was selected for the World U20 Championships in the 800m and 1500m, but elected to run just the half-mile. By mid-year she had also obtained sufficient ranking points to compete in the 800m at the senior world championships in Eugene, where aged 17 she would make her Australian team debut.

Ten days after competing in the heats in Eugene, she travelled to Cali in Columbia to compete at the World U20 Championships where in the 800m semi-final she finished second but was disqualified after a physical contest saw her step on the infield.

Post graduating from high school in 2023, her 2023/24 domestic season was astonishing, achieving six PBs in six races over 800m, 1500m and 3000m. The five races at 800m and 1500m were all National U20 records, improving in every race. She capped the summer season winning the National senior 800m title (PB 1:58.40) and at the end of the championships being named on the Paris Olympic team.