Christopher Ius

Chris Ius started his journey in athletics aged 12. “I ran well in my school athletics carnival and progressed through the school ranks and was winning which was fun.”

By age 16, he had already run a quick 100m time of 10.93 and was winning medals at Australian Championships. Still in his teens he ran 10.47w and the next year aged 20, a breathtaking 10.24. By age 22, he had started to clock some impressive 200m times, 20.79 in 2022, then 20.61 in 2024 and 20.66/20.57w in 2025. He placed on the 200m podium at the Nationals championship in 2023 and 2025.

He made his Australian team debut in 2023, progressing to the semi-finals in the 100m and 200m at the World University Games in China. At the 2025 edition of the World University Games, this time in Germany, he went one better in the 200m, placing 7th in the 200m final and helping the relay team to 4th place.

By 2022 he was in the National relay program and in 2023 he ran on two sub-39 seconds teams. In March 2024 he ran on a team that clocked 38.43 – the fastest time by Australia for 12 years.

Selected as a relay reserve for the Australian team for the Paris Olympics, in 2025 he was a fixture on the team and in March 2025, he ran third leg on the Australian team that clocked 37.87 – the current Australian record. It was the first sub-38 time by Australia, and they took 0.25 seconds off the Australian record.

In May 2025 at the World Relays in China, he helped Australia qualify a team for the World Championships in Tokyo. In July he paced 7 th in the 200m final at the World University Games and helped the Australian team to 4th in the 4x100m. He was reserve for the relay at the 2025 world championships.

His individual times had previously been good, but in early 2026 he went to a new level. In Perth in February he raced three times setting three PBs 100m 10.21, then 10.18 and in the 200m 20.55. The best one day double in Australian history.

At Nationals he made the 100m semi, but in the 200m was involved in one of the most stunning races in Australian history. He placed 4th in the 200m in an astonishing time of 20.26 – a 0.29 seconds PB and now the #8 in Australian history.

In May he competed on the Australian team at the World Relays in Gaborone where he ran the third leg. In the heats they equalled the Australian record (37.87) and in the final ran well with 38.00 to place 4th and secure qualification for the 2027 world championships.

Occupation: physiotherapist…Hero: Usain Bolt – he was the greatest to ever do it… Biggest challenge faced: Completing a masters degree while jugging elite sport…Hobbies: Youtube, reading…Advice to your younger self: Things don’t matter as much as you think, take the pressure off and enjoy the moment.

@ 28 June 2026 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au