Further Information 

Competition Stats

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS:
800m: 2005 - 3rd (U20), 2006 - 2nd (U23), 2007 - 2nd (open) 1st (U23), 2008 - 4th (open)
1500m: 2007 - 1st (U23)

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
World University Games: 2007 - 800m 4th semi (1.48.33)
World Championships: 2007 - 800m 6th heat (1.47.44)

ANNUAL PROGRESSION:

800m
2003  2.04.30
2004  1.58.10
2005  1.52.80
2006  1.47.60
2007  1.46.35
2008  1.46.40

1500m
2006  3.48.91
2007  3.38.56
2008  3.36.03

Interesting Facts

Jeff competed in Little Athletics from ages seven to 14 and didn’t enjoy middle distance, instead focusing on jumps. He did not commence senior athletics until he was 18.

Sporting Career

A very promising middle distance talent, Jeff was one of the revelations of the 2007 Australian domestic season - finishing no worse than second in any of his main events at 800m.

He had emerged from very modest ranks, having re-acquainted himself with athletics at 18, finishing third at the under-20 nationals in 2005 and second in the under-23s in 2006.

In 2006-07 wins at the Ron Clarke Classic, Telstra A-Series Canberra, Graeme Briggs Memorial Classic and an 800m/1500m double at Under-23 Championships culminated in a stunning victory in his home-town at the Telstra A-Series Melbourne.

Ecstatic when he crossed the line, it had marked a considerable ascension for the Knox athlete who had been competing against senior athletes for less than three years.

Jeff finished second to Nick Bromley at the Australian Championships in Brisbane in March before embarking on his first overseas campaign which included a win at the Japanese Spring Circuit in Shizuoka (1500m) and second at the Osaka Grand Prix meet in May (800m).

Joining Nic Bideau’s camp, Riseley trained in London in June and July and ran a 1500m PB in Sheffield, a solid 800m in Tallin and a PB in Stockholm over that distance ahead of August’s World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand.

While he missed qualification for the final at the Universiade, it didn’t jeopardise his chances of World Championships selection and was added to the final squad on August 13.

Osaka was a major occasion that Jeff handled reasonably well, producing a run of 1.47.44 - though it wasn’t enough to earn him a place in the semi-finals.

To cap a memorable 12 months, Jeff competed at the IAAF Golden League meet in Zurich and the World Tour meet in Rieti before returning home.

Having been injured during the Australian 07/08 season, Jeff headed north for the 2008 European summer, where he ran where he ran within .2 of his 800m personal best on three separate occasions.  

Riseley then found himself on the start list for the Rome Golden League meeting, this time for the 1500m.  The result, he knocked 2.53 seconds of his previous time, clocking 3.36.03, the seventh fastest time ever by an Australian over the distance.  The 21 year old was then added to the team for Beijing.