Jackson Sharp

A talented junior distance runner from the NSW Blue Mountains, after a good career at college in the US, it took Jackson Sharp two years post college to adjust to changes in his athletics career and make his senior Australian team debut in the 5,000m at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

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Jackson Sharp started his athletics journey following some success through school athletics. He received some early coaching help from two local guys Geoff Carter and Rob Spilling (a terrific road runner who regularly placed in the top-20 of the City to Surf with a best of 8th in 1989). At age 16 Jackson contacted Run Crew’s Ben St Lawrence and Gary Howard.

Jackson made his Australian team debut in 2017 at the Commonwealth Youth Games (U18). Two years later he ran in the junior event at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships where he placed 36th from 106 starters.

Later in 2019 he moved to the US to study Psychology at the University of Wisconsin, and train under coach Mick Byrne. Jackson compiled a successful athletics career winning multiple indoor and outdoor individual Big Ten (his region) titles as well as two NCAA medals 3rd at Indoors 3000m and 3rd at 5000m outdoors.

He graduated from Wisconsin in May of 2024, and moved to Flagstaff, Arizona to join the Hoka Northern Arizona Elite group.

Earlier in 2024 he had placed third in the 5000m at the Australian Championships. With this place on the board, he chased the Paris Olympic qualification and World Athletics points. He didn’t achieve both and noted:

“I struggled to adjust to the new system (World Athletics points) for the first year but managed a solid 2025 European season off a bad Indoor and Australian domestic season. I set multiple personal bests in Europe but was still unable to achieve points or time standard for Tokyo World Championships.”

But he turned the corner ahead of the 2026 season.

“I have been since able to settle and adjust into the team/training to put together months of quality training, resulting in better performances and selection for the 5000m at the Commonwealth Games 2026.”

Memorable sporting achievement: 16th place at NCAA xc in 2022…Most influential person in career: jointly Gary Howard and Mick Byrne (college coach). Gary has (still does) provide unwavering support despite my having been in the USA for almost seven years and Mick was instrumental in my development from a junior to senior…Advice your young self: It’s not that deep, it’s just running… Hobbies: guitar, working on cars, cooking, coffee…Sporting ambition: Olympic Gold…Occupation: athlete…Education: B.A. Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison (2019-2024)… Hometown: Wentworth Falls, NSW…Coach: Jack Mullaney… Biggest challenge you’ve faced: Moving out of the country and away from family indefinitely…Interesting family fact: Great grandmother was in born in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture 1927 so was 18 in 1945.

@ 25 July 2026 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au