Rhydian Cowley

After being encouraged to get involved in Little Athletics by his dad, Rhydian started race walking when he was eight.

He was very successful as s junior representing Australia on three occasions. He made his international debut in the junior event at the 2008 World Walking Cup in Russia, following up with another World Walking Cup appearance 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 more national teams in 2014 and 2015, followed by his Olympic debut at Rio 2016, where he placed 33rd in 1:23.30.

He then had the opportunity to compete at an international meet on home soil at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games where he placed 11th.

From 2012 until 2018, his seasonal best for the 20km walk hovered around 1:22 to 1:24 hours, but after making eight appearances in the green and gold at the highest levels, including Olympics and world championships, in 2019, aged 28, Rhydian took a step forward with his PB coming down to 1:20.19. His new best elevated him to number seven Australian all-time, not only qualified him for the Doha World Championships, but also the Tokyo Olympics.

Rhydian credits a change in focus, a good period of training and a move to Brent Vallance’s squad, as key to his progression.

In 2019 he analysed his improvement. “It's hard to pinpoint exactly what makes the most difference, but I think my last 12 months of training being some of the most consistent I've managed, is probably a factor.

"I think my change in coaching environment at the end of last year has also made a difference, getting regular training sessions in with a good group of athletes including Jemima Montag, Quentin Rew (NZL) and Kyle Swan.

"And I've been focusing on having fun and enjoying my athletics a bit more in this last year, which I think also helps.” 

Selected for Tokyo, his second Olympics, Rhydian competed in a different event, the 50km Walk, after contesting the 20km event in Rio.

Ranked 57th on the start line, Rhydian placed an outstanding eighth in Sapporo, the ninth occasion an Australian has finished in the top-8. He also clocked a 57 seconds personal best.

"I'm over the moon. A personal best at championship level," Rhydian said.

"The last couple of kilometres I just got this big blister on my foot that made it very hard. To be in lockdown last year probably supported the result. I was working from home and didn't have a commute, so had a lot more time to build my base without a daily trip to the city. There is a strong history in this event, with top-eight results all the way back to 1956. I'm happy to contribute that. To follow the footsteps of someone like Jared Tallent is a real honour."

In 2022 at the world championships Rhydian Cowley was superb with two top-20 places in the 20km and a new event – 35km walk. 

In March 2023, he lowered his 20km PB by almost a minute, clocking 1:19.30 in Japan elevating him to number 8 Australian all-time and in May he took three minutes off his National 35km walk record with a time of 2:27.33. He was selected in his fifth world championships team in the 20km and 35km walks – his 15th senior Australian team.

In Budapest on day one, competing in the 20km walk, he sped home in the race moving through the field to place a tremendous 14th and clock 1:19.31 – just one second outside his PB. Five days later he was on the start line for the 35km walk where in gruelling heat and humidity he was forced to withdraw from the race, collapsing onto the road with just seven kilometres to go.

His 2024 campaign has been terrific. During summer he set PBs in the 10,000m track walk (38:13.51) and 20km walk (1:18.33) – now the third best Australian all-time in both events. In April at the World Teams Race Walking Championships in Turkey, he combined with Jemima Montag to qualify an Australian team for the Paris Olympics in the new event, the Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay. They placed a safe and conservative sixth place.