Georgia Harris

BIOGRAPHY

Overcoming career threatening knee surgery in 2020 Georgia Harris made dramatic progression over the summer of 2021/22 with ten 100/200m personal bests, resulting in her selection for the 2022 World U20 Championships. After negotiating the transitions years to seniors in 2025 she had another breakthrough season becoming the second Australian women to win the 100m at the World University Games and the first for 70 years since Shirley Strickland in 1955. She had made her senior Australian team debut in May at the World Relays.

+ + + + +

As a young kid, Georgia Harris participated in many sports – basketball, AFL, soccer, cross country and swimming. In athletics she competed in the jumps, but particularly enjoyed the sprints. “I loved the feeling and thrill of running fast which is why I fell in love with the sport.“

Speed was a key element in another sport she played – Touch Football. “I would often play up age groups such as when I was 11, I’d be playing for my school’s Under 14’s and Under 18’s teams.” She made district representative teams. As she got older, she has also enjoyed going to the gym and improving her strength, mobility, and mental discipline to improve her athletic performance.

After the summer of 2020, where she had clocked best sprint times of 12.45w/25.38, Georgia had to undergo knee surgery.

“At the time I was only 16 and I had to make the decision that if running was something I wanted to peruse long term, I had to get the surgery. All the scans came back showing different issues which meant the Surgeon was going in unaware of what specifically had to be done. Therefore, this meant I had no idea the recovery period and when I would next be competing.”

For Georgia, athletics was a big focus.

“At this time, I thought of myself as just an athlete so having this taken away was hard and I really struggled to find other passions whilst recovering. However, this challenge allowed me to find my love for coaching and taught me the power of resilience.”

She didn’t race regularly in 2020/21, but started her 2021/22 campaign, towards World U20 selection in September 2021, with a breakthrough 100m time of 12.12. It was just the start, as she would take that time down four more times: 11.96, 11.83, 11.80 and 11.65. Similarly, over 200m she started with 25.05 in October, reducing her best to 24.42, 24.27, 24.23 and 23.86. The last improvement of 0.37 seconds took her into second in the National junior 200m. In April she was named in the 4x100m relay and 200m for the World U20 Championships. At the championships she competed in the 200m heats and helped the 4x100m relay team to sixth in the final.

In 2023, Georgia’s last year as a junior, she compiled a terrific series of results. She won the Australian junior 100m and was second in the 200m. Then she won the Pacific Games 100m and during the year set six PBs closing her junior career with bests of 11.46 and 23.61.

In her first senior year in 2024 Georgia was close to her 100m PB, running 11.52 in Europe after placing 7th in the 100m at the Australian Championships.

Concentrating on the 100m in 2025, she had a breakthrough campaign. Georgia placed 6th in the National 100m after a PB 11.38 in the heats. After running on the National relay team over summer, she was named for her senior Australian team debut at the 2025 World Relays in China. In the heats she helped the Australian team to a quick time of 43.15.

In July she competed at the World University Games in Germany and lined up in five races going undefeated, winning the 100m in 11.44 and starting off the 4x100m relay which won gold. Her historic 100m win was just the second Australian women to win the title and first for 70 years, following Shirley Strickland’s win in 1955.

Throughout the challengers of her surgery and uncertainty of a future in the sport, and then hours of rehabilitation, Georgia noted three people who have been towers of strength for her – her mum, her training partner Riley Day and coach Paul Pearce.

“My Mum has influenced the way I approach tough situations not only in my personal life but also with my running. She’s shown me that having a strong positive outlook and resilience towards a situation regardless of the obstacles, is the best way to achieve your maximal potential. There have been times that I truly don’t believe I would’ve overcome without her.”

Olympian, Riley Day has also had a strong impact on her.

“Riley has shown me first-hand that by staying committed and determined to a goal, you can achieve more than you think. Battling injuries and other limiting issues, Riley has truly impacted my outlook on staying focused and believing in myself.

“The most influential person in my career has been my coach, Paul Pearce. Paul and I began working together just before my knee surgery and instead of leaving knowing I had a long road ahead with recovery and limited running, he chose to stay. From that moment I knew I’d found the right coach for me. From day one Paul has both supported and motivated me to keep improving and striving for more. Without his constant support and belief in my abilities, I wouldn’t be the athlete I am today.”

Advice to your young self: stay patient and focused on your goals. When I was younger, I wasn’t making high-level teams and running as fast as everyone else, but I stayed dedicated which has led me to where I am today…Education: Bachelor of Business, Sports Management and Marketing at Griffith University (2024-2027)… Occupation: Athlete/student/Track and Field Coach p/t Brisbane Girls Grammar Hobbies: trying new foods, going to the gym and finding good Netflix shows…Interesting Facts: I have two dogs, a French bulldog named Frankie and a poodle named Maxi. I dislocated my shoulder twice last year from throwing a javelin and playing AFL

@9 September 2025 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au