Further Information 

Competition Stats

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS:
400 metres: 2003 (U20) - 3rd, 2004 (U20) - 2nd, 2006 - 3rd, 2007 - 1st, 2008 - 3rd

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
World Junior Championships: 2004 - 400m 6th (46.84), 4 x 400m 7th (3.07.95)
World Cup: 2006 - 4 x 400m 8th (3.05.54, split 46.01)
Commonwealth Games: 2006 - 400m 8th semi (46.47), 4 x 400m 1st heat (3.03.04), DNC 1st final
World University Games: 2007 - 400m 1st (45.49), 4 x 400m 2nd (3.02.76)
World Championships: 2007 - 400m 5th semi (45.25), 4 x 400m 6th heat (3.02.59, split 45.7)
World Indoor Championships: 2008 - 400m 6th (46.93)

ANNUAL PROGRESSION:

100 metres:
2003 10.6
2004 10.95
2005 10.62
2006 10.52
2007 10.58
2008 10.74

200 metres:
2005 21.3
2006 21.46
2007 21.14
2008 21.21

400 metres:
2003 47.85
2004 46.80
2005 46.68
2006 45.35
2007 45.25
2008 45.84

EVENTS / PERSONAL BESTS:
100 metres: 10.52 (+0.7) - Melbourne, 7/01/06
200 metres: 21.14 (NWI) - Gold Coast, 1/06/07
400 metres: 45.25 - Osaka (JPN), 29/08/07

Interesting Facts

Sean’s mother is Japanese Australian. Quite fluent in Japanese, he was a hit at his first major senior international competition outside Australia, in Osaka in May 2007. Shocking even world No. 1 Jeremy Wariner, during a post-race media conference Sean translated questions from the journalists in English and then answered them in Japanese.

Sporting Career

Sean showed he had the capacity to succeed in athletics as early as 2003 and, not surprisingly, was chosen for the 2004 World Junior Championships at which he made the final of both the 400m and 4 x 400m relay. He demonstrated the attributes of a good athlete by producing a personal best of 46.80 when required - in the semis.

He ran well to record PBs at all three sprint distances during 2005 and by the beginning of 2006 was ready to make his mark at senior level. He surprised with a big personal best of 45.35 to finish second to Clinton Hill at the Canberra meet on Australia Day and then just pipped Mark Ormrod for third in the nationals two weeks later to gain an individual spot for the Commonwealth Games.

At the Games he made the semis and ran a good leg in the relay heat to help the Australians into the final, earning a gold medal as a result.

After a winter at home and running the 4 x 400m for Oceania at the World Cup in Athens, Sean spent some time training in England before returning home to again make an impression during the Australian season. He showed his liking for the Canberra track by improving his PB there in January, before winning the national 400m title in March and earning World Championships selection.

He travelled to Osaka in early May to test the stadium at their annual IAAF WAT meet and impressed with a third placing behind world No. 1 Jeremy Wariner over 400 metres.

Sean trained and competed in Europe from bases in England and Spain in the lead-up to the worlds.

Part of his preparation also included the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand, which proved a very successful campaign. Sean won gold in the individual 400m event and ran a strong final leg in the 4 x 400m relay, finishing second in a nail-biter with Poland.

He then headed to Osaka for his World Championships debut - which he would leave as one of his country’s better performers. Sean finished third in his 400m heat to earn a spot in the semi-finals and produced a career-best run of 45.25 in that contest, only to finish fifth. Appropriately, he was very pleased with his efforts and so were many others.

Sean also ran the first leg of the 4 x 400m relay in a time of 45.7, however, the efforts of the young team - which included Dylan Grant, Kurt Mulcahy and Mark Ormrod - brought sixth place in the heat.

He continues his remarkable growth as an athlete, as do the prospects of him representing his country at the Olympic Games.

Sean continued his growth in 2008, finishing in third position at the National Championships. In the most anticipated race of the meet, Sean started the final from lane 5, running a strong race to narrowly be beaten by Joel Milburn and John Steffensen.

A week later he debuted in the World Indoor Championships, the atmosphere helping him on his way to victory in the heat (47.23) and a gutsy run in the semi final (47.13) to qualify for the final. Sean ran 6th in the final (46.93) and will use the experience as he embarks upon his first Olympic Games.