Jayden Lawrence

Jayden began wrestling at the age of nine after “begging” his father to allow him to partake in the sport back in 2004. Jayden’s slightly older cousin, Justin Holland was also a keen wrestler and a significant influence in Jayden’s desire to compete.

It wasn’t long before Jayden started tasting victory with his first junior national title coming only one year after his training had begun. His first win as a junior would pave the way for Jayden’s future success in the sport.

At 11, Jayden and his family began travelling the world to find more challenging opponents to improve his skills and to learn different methods and wrestling techniques. This journey saw him travel through countries like the USA, Canada and Japan.

Jayden’s impressive junior wrestling career culminated in multiple State, National and Oceania Championships in the junior freestyle division with the highlight being representing Australia in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore where he finished fifth. 

In 2012 Jayden won his first major senior competition taking out first place at the Oceania Championship in the 66kg freestyle category. That year would also see Jayden attempt to qualify for the London Olympic Games, while also competing in the World Championships in Thailand. 

Jayden scored three wins across three different categories at the 2013 Oceania Championship as well as landing a second-place finish at the Commonwealth Championship in the 74kg freestyle division hosted in Johannesburg.  

After qualifying for the Commonwealth Games in 2014 for the first time, Jayden put in a valiant effort in Australian colours at Glasgow 2014 in the 74kg freestyle division. Despite making it through to the bronze medal match, Jayden fell short on his first attempt at a Commonwealth Games medal to Nigeria’s Melvin Bibo with a 0-5 result. Jayden would also go on to defend his crown in the 2014 Oceania Championship hosted in American Samoa. 

Jayden was selected once again to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 on the Gold Coast. On this occasion he competed in the 86kg division for the first time at an international level and couldn’t follow on from his impressive debut in Glasgow four years earlier, eventually finishing 10th on home soil.

In 2021 Jayden tried to qualify for the Olympic Games via the African and Oceania Qualifier event in Tunisia. Despite winning his first matchup via victory by fall (VFA) Jayden was unable to secure a spot for Tokyo 2020.  

Birmingham and the 2022 Commonwealth Games would be home to one of Jayden’s greatest successes to date after bringing home the bronze in his third attempt. Jayden ended the Birmingham Games with an event record of 3-1, which landed him equal third alongside Canada’s Alex Moore in the 86kg division.

Jayden would go on to win back-to-back Oceania Championships in 2023 and 2024 in the 86kg division, scoring victory against every opponent he faced during both events. His Continental Championship form would carry over to the 2024 African and Oceania Olympic Game Qualifier in Egypt where he went undefeated against every opponent put against him during the tournament. 

Jayden’s 7-0 record to start in 2024 moved him to 63rd in the world on the United World Wrestling world ranking.

Jayden’s stellar run in 2024 and his victory in the Olympic Qualifiers secured his spot to compete for Australia at Paris 2024.

By competing at Paris 2024, Jayden and his wrestling teammate Georgii Okorokov were the first to represent Australian wrestling at the Olympics since Rio 2016.

Jayden lost his opening round match in the men's freestyle 86kg class to Iranian Hassan Yazdanicharati 10-0, but progressed through to the repechage and fought Dauren Kurugliev (GRE) for a spot in the bronze medal match, going down 10-0.