Lara Roberts

BIOGRAPHY

From a family of talented throwers, Lara Roberts joins sister as an Australian representative with her selection in the Australian team for the Tokyo world championships. This year Lara progressed to #3 Australian Hammer Throw all-time and placed third at the US College Championships (NCAA).

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Aged 10, Lara Roberts joined her twin brother and older sister who were doing Little Athletics. Lara was initially a discus thrower, but her siblings had started hammer throwing. “I didn’t want to be the only one who didn’t get to do it, so I convinced dad to let me throw in the backyard.” At age 12 Lara started learning the hammer throw event. She had immediate success when in 2016 at the Australian Junior Championships she won bronze in the U14 Hammer Throw with a distance of 34.19m (3kg). By the end of the year, against the same athletes at the Australian All Schools Championships, she was crowned U14 National champion with a distance of 43.34m.

Through her teenage years Lara would continue to collect National medals and titles, winning the 2021 Australian U20 title. After winning silver in the open hammer throw at the 2023 Australian Championships, she headed to study and compete for Texas University in America. She departed Australian with a PB of 62.50m.

In her first outdoor competition in March 2024, she nailed a PB 65.41m. She continued to progress reaching a season’s best of 67.40m and placing 14th at the NCAA championships. She was now #8 Australian all-time.

Lara’s 2025 US college season was of the highest standard. In April she added over three metres to her PB in two competitions, 70.34m, then 70.97m. She was now #3 Australian all-time and just the fifth Aussie over 70 metres. She carried that form into the NCAA Championships in June placing third with 70.42m, behind the winner – Australian record holder Stephanie Ratcliffe. Lara led the competition early and was only demoted to bronze in the last round.

Selected for her Australian team debut at the World University Games in Germany in July, she only managed to throw 60.60m and missed qualification for the final.

Memorable sporting achievement: “Cracking the 70m barrier for the first time. In that competition I threw 70m twice and followed up two days later with my current Pb of 70.97m.” Hero: “My parents are my heroes, they have sacrificed so much for me to be where I am today and without their support I wouldn’t have been as successful in my sporting career.”…Most influential person in career: “Matthew Horneman helped me to better understand my sport and help to improve as an athlete. Without him I wouldn’t have had the confidence to move across the world or understand what I was looking for when picking a school. He helped me to be confident that Texas State and the program there was the right fit for me.” Hobbies: fishing and camping with family and friends…Sporting ambition: ”Compete at the Olympics, develop my throwing and be a good role model for younger athletes from Australia in hammer throw.”…Education: Studying Exercise Science at Texas State University (2022- )…Biggest challenge faced: “Deciding whether to stay in the comfort of my home in Australia or branching out to America to gain support from college to continue to progress my career.”….Interesting facts: Older sister Alexander Roberts competed in the javelin at the 2018 World Juniors and 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games, twin brother Benjamin also competes in throwing events.

@ 5 Sept 2025 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au