Michael Shelley

Michael Shelley was a talented 1500m/3000m/steeplechase athlete in his late teens and early 20s. He made his Australian debut in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2002 World Juniors. He was also competitive over cross country and won an Australian under-23 title and between 2004 and 2009, competed at the IAAF World Cross Country on four occasions. From 2008 he started to move up the distance, on the track and road. He gained podium finishes during the 2008/09 season over 5000m and 10,000m.

In April 2009 he ran sub-28 for 10,000m, and in 2010 he made a very impressive marathon debut of 2:13.05 in Rotterdam. Six months later he won a magnificent silver in the marathon at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. He was even better in 2011 with two sub-2:12 marathon in London and Amsterdam. He continued his excellent championships record with 16th in the London Olympic Marathon – a place only Steve Moneghetti had better in the previous 24 years of Aussies at the Olympics.

Selected for his second Commonwealth Games in 2014, he went to the top of the podium winning in a personal best 2:11.15, outstanding in a championships race. He just missed that new personal best in April 2015 in the London marathon. Selected for his second Olympics, in the heat of Rio he ran 2:18.06, for 47th place. To enhance his Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games selection prospects, there were two more tremendous runs in 2017 with a near PB of 2:11.38 in London in April, then 2:12.52 in Chicago in October.

His form ensured he was selected in January to compete at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in his hometown where he will attempt to defend his title.

Michael is the most consistent modern day male marathoner in Australia with five sub-2:12 times from his 13 career marathons. He also has a remarkable championships record at Commonwealth and Olympic Games.

Michael Shelley was born in Southport on the Gold Coast with a diaphragmatic hernia (hole in the diaphragm) that needed immediate surgery. He started running aged 13 in high school and completed a Bachelor of Business at Griffith University.