Rose Davies

Rose Davies was an athletics prodigy in her early teens, but patience from her coach in the transition years from junior to senior is now reaping rewards as the now 24-year-old is on track to fulfil the potential she showed in her youth.

Newcastle’s Rose Davies first started running around 12 and within two years was the best in the nation, clocking startling times of 2:08 (800m) and 4:27 (1500m). She would not surpass those times for five years. Aged 16 she remembers watching the Rio Olympics without a thought she could ever qualify for an Olympics.

“I am so grateful I am in this position I am today, and I think this shows how quickly things can change,” she recalled.

She didn’t compete for most of 2017 and 2018 with inflammation issues in her hip. Due to injury, her motivation was low and she was enjoying her teenage years away from running. During this on-again, off-again period she found coach Scott Westcott’s approach critical. She was not fully committed, but he allowed her to run as she wished, sometimes missing sessions or only running part of the program. There were times where she had doubt’s she would make it back.

In late 2018 she started to emerge off track, placing third at the national U20 cross country and running a good 10km of 34:34 at Burnie in October. Back on the track she won the Lisa Ondieki U20 3000m and by late summer of the 2018-19 season, where she was now only 19, had clocked 4:19 (1500m) and 15:45 (5000m). Her progression continued in 2019 and into 2020 before COVID shut down the season. While still in her teens she was second in the national cross country and third Aussie at Zatopek with 33:25.52.

She negotiated the challenging COVID-effected year in 2020 to run an outstanding 32:02 road 10km in Launceston in December. In 2021 she was outstanding with a career highlight winning Zatopek in an outstanding 31:39.97. In late May she achieved her first Olympic qualifier of 15:08.48 over 5000m in Holland.

She was selected to make her Olympic debut in Tokyo where she placed 18th in her 5000m heat.

Since the Tokyo Olympics, Rose Davies has been making tremendous progress. In 2022 she set personal bests over 3000m, 5000m and 10,000m. In January she defended her National 10,000m crown at the Zatopek Classic, then in May set a PB of 31:18.54 in California, moving up to number four in Australian history. Selected for the world championships in Eugene and Birmingham Commonwealth Games she ran the 5000m heats at both competitions.

In February 2023 she represented Australia on home soil at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, just a few hours from her home. She ran brilliantly to finish 23rd in the women’s 10km XC event.

Domestically on the track in 2023 she was second to Jessica Hull in the National 3000m and 5000m titles, she then clocked two significant international performances, a 3000m PB of 8:44.07 in Japan in May, followed by a near 5000m PB in Norway.

She continued that form into her second world championships in Budapest clocking 15:07.93 in her heat for 10th place and just missing the final by two places and a few seconds.

Rose’s great form has continued into 2024, setting a 3000m PB (8:39.81), winning her first national title, the open 5000m and on three occasions smashing her 5000m PB, the later 14:41.65 breaking the national record.