Sarah Billings

A sprinter in her early teenage years, Sarah Billings represented Australian at the 2016 World Juniors in the 800m and 4x400m relay. After battling injuries in her early 20s and particularly during COVID, she would wait seven years, until 2023 to make her senior Australian team debut. After an incredible last few years, she is now the second fastest half-miler in Australian history (& #6 at 1500m) and has been selected for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, her fourth senior Australian team.

+ + + + +

“I’ve always loved running,” said Sarah Billings who started competing at inter school carnivals at the age of 10 when my school PE teacher recognised my talent.

She competed in sprints during her early teenage years. As early as in the U14s at the Australian Championships she was winning medals (bronze in the U14s 100m in 2011). She ranged up to 400s where she also won medals. She dabbled in longer distances running a 2:18.1 800m aged 14. In 2016 she won the Australian U20 800m title and was selected for the World Juniors, where she made the semi-final. She also ran on the 4x400m relay. In 2017 she closed her junior career, defending her national junior 800m crown, and during the years set PBs of 2:05.77 (800m), 54.39 (400m) and 24.39 (200m, aged 15).

As a senior athlete she graduated up the ladder to 1500m and by age 21 had run 4:16.10 for fourth at the Australian Championships (in 2019). Sarah was down to 4:12.78 in February 2020. Through the COVID years (2020 to 2021) she raced on a few times. She was injured with a number of stress reactions and a rib issue. “I struggled through years of injury,” she said.

Sarah remerged in early 2022 with PBs of 2:03.09 and 4:09.73. Similarly, in early 2023 there was more progression with lifetime bests of 2:01.66 and 4:08.32, along with 5th in the National 1500m. Late in the year she made her first senior Australian team for the World Road Running Championships where she competed in the road mile.

Her 2024 campaign saw a significant breakthrough going under two minutes and four minutes in the 800m and 1500m – just the fifth Aussie to achieve this feat. In the 800m, after running 2:00.55 and 2:00.22, she skipped the 1:59s going to 1:58.94. The 1500m was just as significant, a week after placing 4th in the National 1500m, competing at her Diamond League debut in Xiamen China, she clocked 3:59.59 – a seven seconds PB. With the depth in Australian middle-distance running, she was unable to secure a berth in the Australian team for the Paris Olympics.

In early 2025 Sarah was selected for the World Indoor Championships, placing 4th in her 800m heat. At Nationals she concentrated on the 1500m placing 2nd and being named in the team for the world championships. In May she headed to China for a series of Diamond Leagues with the highlight a one second 800m PB of 1:57.83, missing the Australian record by just 0.05 seconds. In June in Rome she trimmed her 1500m PB, clocking 3:59.24. At the Tokyo World Championships, she ran in the 1500m heats.

At the 2026 Australian Championships she finished on the podium in the 800m (3rd) and 1500m (2nd), then in May at Diamond leagues she destroyed her PBs – 800m (1:57.61 Rabat 31 May) and 1500m (3:58.81, Shaoxing 16 May).  Now number two and six respectively on the Australian all-time lists.

In June she was named on the Commonwealth Games team as Australia’s only 800m athlete.

Memorable sporting achievement: Representing Australia at the 2025 World Championships and breaking 4minutes in the 1500m for the first time… Hero / idol: My mum…Most influential person in your career: My coach Nic Bideau, mental coach Brett Stevens and my training partners…Advice to your young self: Focus on giving your best, the results with take care of themselves…Hobbies:

Getting coffee with friends…Sporting ambition: To represent Australia at the Olympic Games…Education: University of Melbourne, Bachelor of Environments majoring in construction management and architecture (2016-2019)…Other sports played (at a high level): Netball…Biggest challenge you’ve faced: Injuries! Injury cycles are tough physically and mentally. They can take a big toll on your confidence and trust in your body but I’m grateful of the lessons I learnt…Famous relatives: Brother Jack Billings played 172 games for St Kilda and Melbourne Australian Football Clubs (AFL) for 10 years.

@ 27 June 2025 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au