Further Information 

Competition Stats

 

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS:
1500 metres: 1999 (U20) - 2nd, 2000 (OGT) - 10th, 2002 - 1st
5000 metres: 2002 - 2nd (1st Australian), 2004 - 1st, 2005 - 1st, 2006 - 1st, 2007 - 1st, 2008 - 1st

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Commonwealth Games: 2002 - 5000m 6th (13.25.21), 2006 - 5000m 2nd (12.58.19), 1500m 9th (3.44.37, fell)
Olympic Games: 2000 - 5000m 8th heat (13.31.06), 2004 - 5000m 8th (13.25.70), 2008 – 5000m 5th heat (13:44.39)
World Cross Country: 1999 (U20) - 18th, 2001 - 4km 8th, 2002 - 5th, 2004 - 4km 9th, 12km 13th, 2005 - 12km 22nd, 2006 - 4km 11th, 2008 - 12.125km 31st
World Indoor Championships: 2001 - 3000m 8th (7.48.34), 2008 - 3000m 5th (7.52.42)
World Championships: 2001 - 1500m 11th semi (3.43.21), 2003 - DNC, 2005 - 5000m 3rd (13.32.96), 2007 - 5000m 13th (13.56.24)
World Cup: 2002 - 3000m 1st (7.41.37), 2006 - 3000m 1st (7.32.19)

ANNUAL PROGRESSION:
1500 metres:
1999 3.43.37
2000 3.38.27
2001 3.35.40
2002 3.37.34
2004 3.39.7
2005 3.34.80
2006 3.33.97
2007 3.40.93
2008 3.36.66

3000 metres:
2002 7.37.30
2003 7.48.76
2004 7.42.96
2005 7.38.03
2006 7.32.19
2007 7.39.24i
2008 7.34.50i

5000 metres:
1999 13.40.48
2000 13.26.20
2001 13.23.94
2002 13.12.04
2003 13.17.81
2004 12.55.76
2005 12.56.13
2006 12.58.19
2007 13.04.97
2008 13:11.99
2009 13:50.84

10,000 metres:
2001 28.19.26
2003 27.50.55
2005 27.56.02
2008 27.34.48

EVENTS/PERSONAL BESTS:
1500 metres: 3.33.97 - Zurich (SUI), 18/8/06
Mile: 3.48.98 - Oslo (NOR), 29/07/05 (national record)
2000 metres: 4.50.76 - Melbourne, 9/03/06 (national record)
3000 metres: 7.32.19 - Athens (GRE), 17/09/06 (national record)
2 Mile: 8.03.50 - Oregon (USA), 04/06/2007 (national record)
5000 metres: 12:55.76 - London (GBR), 30/07/04 (national record)
10,000 metres: 27.34.48 - Stanford, USA, 4/05/08

RECORD(S):
National Indoor record - 3000 metres: 7.34.50 - Boston (USA), 27/01/08
Oceania/National record - 2 mile: 8.03.50 - Oregon (USA), 04/06/2007
National Indoor record - 3000 metres: 7.39.24 - Boston (USA), 27/01/07
National record - 3000 metres: 7.32.19 - Athens (GRE), 17/09/06
Oceania/National/Allcomers record - 2000m: 4.50.76 - Melbourne, 9/03/06
National record - mile: 3.48.98 - Oslo (NOR), 29/07/05
National record - 5000 metres: 12.55.76 - London (GBR), 30/07/04
National record - 5000 metres: 13.03.37 - Bergen (NOR), 11/06/04
National record - 5000 metres: 13.10.47 - Hengelo (NED), 31/05/04
National indoor record - 3000 metres: 7.48.09 - Budapest (HUN), 5/03/04
National record - 3000 metres: 7:37.30 - Monte Carlo (MON), 19/07/02
National record - 5000 metres: 13.12.04 - Melbourne, 7/03/02
National indoor record - 3000 metres: 7.48.34 - Lisbon (POR), 11/03/01
National U20 record - 3000 metres: 8.02.77 – Sydney, 20/02/99
World Cup meet records - 3000 metres: 7.41.37 (2002) and 7.32.19 (2006)

Interesting Facts

Craig is a former Australian junior triathlon champion and was a member of the Victorian triathlon team in 1997 and 1998. Whilst he has had his normal share of athletics related injuries, his most bizarre setback to date followed five stitches in his foot in 1999, the result of an accident putting the washing out at home.

One of his training partners has been Moss, his pet flat-coated retriever. A more constant companion during training sessions is former leading marathoner Garry Henry (PB - 2:10.09 set in 1980) who, these days, uses a bicycle to keep up.

Sporting Career

In his teens Craig was an Australian junior triathlon champion but, in late 1998 after a victory in the All Schools division of the Under 20 Australian Cross Country Championships in Canberra, he opted for the single discipline of athletics linking up with local running coach Bruce Scriven in Geelong.

Come February 1999 he had become the fastest Australian junior of all time over 3000 metres, breaking the National Under 20 record with a time of 8.02.77. Just a month later he placed a quality 18th in the World Junior Cross Country Championships.

Craig celebrated his birthday in 2000 by setting an Olympic A qualifier and PB (13.26.20) for the 5000m. Preferring to run the 1500 metres at the Games, he contested a controversial final of the event at the Olympic Trials, which was eventually re-run a week later. Demoralised, he finished a distant 10th, but with Shaun Creighton's decision to concentrate on the 10,000m, a spot opened up in the 5000m and Craig’s international senior career began with a creditable eighth placing in his heat.

In a two-week period in March 2001 he displayed his versatility, placing eighth in both the World Indoors - lowering the Australian record for the second time in three days - and in the short course (4km) at the World Cross Country. In August’s World Championships in Edmonton he made the semi-final of the 1500 metres.

In December he made his 10,000m debut, winning the Zatopek Classic in 28.19.26 ahead of an outstanding fifth at the 2002 World Cross Country in Dublin and sixth over 5000m at the Manchester Commonwealth Games.

The best news of the year came at the IAAF World Cup in Madrid when Craig dominated the 3000m to set a new meet record (7.41.37) and won by over six seconds.

Injuries halted progress in 2003 but in the lead-up to the Athens 2004 Olympics he was in superb form, lowering the Australian record three times. He finished with a superb 12.55.76 in a classic race on July 30, just edged out by the great Haile Gebrselassie. In Athens he ran gallantly to place eighth.

A series of outstanding times from 1500m through to 10,000m in the lead-up to the 2005 World Championships culminated with a magnificent bronze medal in Helsinki, becoming the first non-African to medal over this distance at the World Championships since 1987.

After winning his third National 5000m title in February 2006, Craig ran an inspiring race over the distance in front of a roaring home crowd at the Commonwealth Games but could not hold off Kenya’s Augustine Choge - taking second place in 12.58.19. It was a contest regarded by none other than Steve Ovett as the greatest championship 5000m race of all time.

A chance to go one better in the 1500 metres was dashed when he was tripped, however, Craig gallantly ran out the race though unable to make up the ground lost in the fall.

After some variety provided by cross country and road races, Craig returned to the track in Liege (BEL) in July to smash his own Australian 3000m record first up by nearly five seconds - running 7.32.84.  As in 2002, the best was to come at the World Cup where he successfully defended his 3000m title with another meet and National record of 7.32.19 - running away from Kenenisa Bekele in the process, the World's No. 1 distance runner.

In perhaps the ultimate recognition by a fellow athlete, Ron Clarke dubbed Craig Australia's greatest ever distance runner.

2007 began with some classy indoor runs in the United States and another National 5000 metres title at home. A superb victory over a crack field at the IAAF Grand Prix meet in Ostrava (CZE) in late June set the stage for Osaka.

The buzz surrounding Craig’s return to the Worlds reached fever pitch, and rightfully so. Many hoped that he would better his 2005 bronze medal-winning performance and, after a very promising run to finish fourth in the heats - set himself up well for the 5000m final.

But there was something in the air that night. A tactical race that saw Craig forced to the lead at the 3000m mark, he was gradually worn down by his African counterparts come the final lap and fell back into the pack to finish 13th. Numbed post-race by the performance, he revealed in the weeks following the World Championships that a hamstring injury nursed through his preparations had got the better of him.

With perseverance, Craig competed over 3000m (fourth) and 5000m (ninth) at the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart in September and finished fourth over 3km in the Great North Road Run in the United Kingdom.

After his World Championships disappointment in 2007, there is no doubt the brilliant athlete will carry some significant resolve to 2008 and beyond.  He demonstrated this early in 2008 with a return to Boston, where during an indoor race, he recorded the quickest time ever run over 3000m in the USA.  It took nearly 5 seconds off his own National record and impressively, he broke the USA allcomers mark previously held by the great Haile Gebrselassie.

Back on home shores, the summer season saw Craig take out his fifth consecutive 5000m National Championship at the IAAF World Athletics Tour in February, much to the delight of the parochial crowd. In a much anticipated run, against a spread of Tanzanian, Ethiopian and Kenyan athletes, Craig powered home and in true style completed a victory lap with his signature one fingered salute.

A week later he ran and won the 3000m Australian title in Brisbane, before heading to the World Indoor Championships in Spain. He finished third to qualify for the final where he placed fifth against the Worlds best.

In his third Olympic appearance in the 5000m Craig finished 5th in his heat and despite running 13th fastest overall, missed qualifying for the final.

Family connections

Craig comes from a family of elite sportsmen. His younger (and taller) brother Neil is a professional basketballer and was selected for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.   Neil’s wife, Jenni Screen (Craig’s sister in law), is in the Australian Opals Basketball team for Beijing.  Both of his parents are British and his father Brian played soccer for Wimbledon FC.