Further Information 

Competition Stats

 

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS:
2000m steeplechase: 2001 (U20) - 1st
3000m steeplechase: 2002 - 2nd, 2003 - 1st, 2006 - 4th (3rd Australian)
Cross Country: 2000 (U20) - 2nd, 2001 (U20) - 3rd, 2003 - 10th, (U23) - 4th (3rd Australian)

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
World University Cross Country: 2001 – 11th
World University Games: 2005 - 3000m steeple 2nd (9.47.54)
Commonwealth Games: 2006 - 3000m steeple 4th (9.34.24)
World Cup: 2006 - 3000m steeple 4th (9.30.84)
World Cross Country Championships: 2007 - senior 8km 37th, 2008 - 7.905km 54th
World Championships: 2007 - 3000m steeple 14th heat (10.06.61)
Olympic Games: 2008 – 3000m steeple 13th (9:47.88)

ANNUAL PROGRESSION:

3000m steeplechase:
2001 10.29.5
2002 10.09.53
2003 10.17.55
2004 10.13.31
2005 9.47.54
2006 9.30.84
2007 9.45.20
2008 9.43.21

 

EVENTS / PERSONAL BESTS:
1500 metres: 4.18.01 - Hobart, 6/01/06
Mile: 4.38.05 - Melbourne, 18/02/06
3000 metres: 8.58.42 - Melbourne, 9/03/06
5000 metres: 15.36.15 - Sydney, 19/01/06
3000m steeplechase: 9.30.84 - Athens (GRE), 3/07/06

Interesting Facts

 

The extroverted distance runner is quite at home being the life of the party and sporting bright pink hair when representing her country.  Hailing from Albury, she studied in Ballarat before taking a scholarship at Butler University in the USA in 2004.

 

Sporting Career

Victoria made steady progress as a junior, winning the Under 20 National 2000 metres steeplechase in 2001. She then won the 2003 senior title before taking up her US scholarship.

In the States, she was successful in both cross-country and on the track, winning the 2005 NCAA title in the steeple. In her international track debut the same year, Victoria took silver at the World University Games in Turkey.

Early in 2006, she ran a PB over 5000m in Sydney before finishing as the third Australian in a hotly contested National steeplechase final, gaining selection for the Commonwealth Games. Victoria finished a solid fourth in Melbourne before undertaking a valuable tour of Europe, setting a personal best in the Athens Grand Prix, making the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart and then taking fourth in the World Cup on a return visit to the Greek capital.

Despite injury disrupting her preparations at the beginning of 2007, Victoria was selected for two national teams - named to make her World Cross Country Championships and World Championships debuts.

At the former in Mombasa in March, Victoria was the second Australian female over the line (37th overall), navigating the 8km course and oppressive heat in 29:48. Her efforts contributed to the women’s team finishing a solid sixth.

Soon after, she returned to her northern hemisphere summer base in London for competition in Europe in the lead-up to the Worlds where she would contest her favoured 3000m steeplechase.

Her hair a radiant pink, Victoria stood out in the Osaka field though not for her performance. Well down on her best, she gave it her all yet finished 14th in her heat - a long way off contention for a place in the final.

The remainder of the year was equally frustrating for Victoria as injury resurfaced.

2008 has seen gradual improvements, as she regained fitness on return from injury.  A solid performance at the World Cross Country Championships gave Victoria some more confidence in racing and finally on June 15, she recorded an Olympic A-qualifying performance and a week later was nominated to the Australian Olympic Committee for her debut Games.

On debut Victoria once again complimented her green and gold by donning bright pink hair; a tradition she has been privileged to build. She struggled through the early fast pace, eventually clocking 9:47.88 for 13th place.