Mikaela Dingley

After around a decade away from athletics, in 2021, Mikaela Dingley returned to the sport and five years on, will make her Australian team debut at the age of 32 at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

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It was an early start in athletics for Mikaela Dingley.

“I was introduced to wheelchair racing as a teen and was immediately drawn to the speed, independence, and sense of possibility it gave me.”

But then Mikaela took a long break for about a decade, until her late 20s.

“I stepped away from the sport for several years, but at the end of 2021 I picked it back up for fun and fitness and quickly realised how much I’d missed it. Since returning, I’ve rebuilt everything from technique to confidence — progressing from club meets in 2022, to domestic and interstate competitions in 2023, to Nationals and my first marathon in 2024, and then to my first international races in Switzerland in 2025.”

In 2026 she was rewarded with selection in the T54 400m and 1500m events at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Most memorable sporting achievement: Completing my first marathon locally and internationally in Japan. It was a turning point that showed me how far I’d come since returning to the sport. Also competing in my first Grand Prix competition in Nottwill, Switzerland 2024… Most influential person in career: My coach, Fred Periac. He’s played a huge role in rebuilding me as an athlete — not just technically, but mentally. Fred has a way of seeing potential before you see it in yourself, and he’s pushed me to raise my standards, trust my training, and believe I belong at the level I’m working toward. His experience, honesty, and calm approach have shaped the athlete I’m becoming…Advice to your young self: Trust the process, stop comparing yourself to others, and believe in your potential. Progress isn’t linear, and it’s okay to start again…

Hobbies: I love spending time with my family and friends — it keeps me grounded and gives me balance outside of training…Sporting ambition: To represent Australia at World Championships and the Paralympic Games, and to establish myself as a competitive athlete on the international marathon circuit…Occupation: I work full‑time in the Australian Public Service…Other sports: Wheelchair basketball…Hometown: Canberra…Coach: Fred Periac…Biggest challenge faced: Rebuilding myself as an athlete after years away — physically, mentally, and technically. It required patience, resilience, and a willingness to start from scratch.

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