Tom Reynolds

After making a late start to his athletics career, within two years Tom Reynolds was a National junior champion. He admits to finding the transition years difficult, but patience has seen the now 21-year-old a key member of the National 4x400m relay team and having run in eight relays at World Relays, World Championships and World University Games. In May 2026 was an undoubted highlight when he ran on two Australian record setting relays at the World Relays in Botswana. He ran the heats of the Mixed 4x400m which broke the Australian record (he split 44.58), then on day two he was a member of the Australian 4x400m relay that ran the stunning time of 2:55.20 to destroy the old Australian record by over five seconds. He split 43.43.

In June, having progressed his 400m PB from 45.56 to 44.69 (#4 Australian all-time) during summer, he was selected in the 400m for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

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Despite being first enrolled in Little Athletics when he was aged five, Tom Reynolds didn’t start to take athletics seriously until her was 16.

In 2021 he just missed the podium in the 400m at the Australian U18 Nationals in March. He ran a best 400m time of 49.21 that summer.

Over the summer of 2021/22 he would reduce his PBs to 22.07 (200m) and 47.77 (400m) and in March claimed the Australian U20 400m title. He was selected in the 4x400m relay in the Australian team for the World U20 Championships, but he would eventually not take up his place in the team.

In his first major races in October in the summer of 2022/23, he made a significant breakthrough. The now just 18-year-old ran times of 21.26 and 46.49. Over the remainer of the summer he ran close to that quick time on four occasions and was second in the U20 National title in April 2023.

By 2024, Tom was now a senior athlete and finding it a little challenging to make the transition from junior to senior. He trimmed his 200m PB to 21.19, equalled his 400m PB (46.49) and placed 5th at Nationals. He was selected for his Australian debut at the 2024 World Relays in the Bahamas.

Finally in early 2025, after two and a half years, he broke his 400m PB set just after her turned 18. He took off nearly one second in total clocking 45.56. He won the Sydney Track Classic in 45.75 and placed 4th at Nationals. Selected for his second World Relays he was a key member of the men’s 4x400m relay, running flying legs of 45.25 and 45.27, to help the team qualify for the 2025 world championships. In the final they clocked 2:59.73, to just miss the 41-year-old National record.

In July he undertook a busy program at the 2025 World University Games held in Bochum in Germany. Unfortunately, he broke in his 400m heat. He ran the heat and final on the mixed 4x400m relay which placed 5th in the final. There was unfortunately another disqualification, the men’s 4x400m relay in the heats. At the Tokyo world championships, he ran on the Mixed 4x400m and men’s 4x400m relays running outstanding relays splits of 44.40 and 44.65.

Domestically in 2026, he was in incredible form. He progressed significantly in the individual 400m, jumping from 45.56 to 44.69 – now the fourth fastest in Australian history. He also placed 3rd at the Australian Championships and 2nd at Oceania.

In May 2026 he also ran on two Australian record setting relays at the World Relays. He ran the heats of the Mixed 4x400m which broke the Australian record (he split 44.58), then on day two he was a member of the Australian 4x400m relay that ran the stunning time of 2:55.20 to destroy the old Australian record by over five seconds. He split 43.43.

In June he was selected on the Glasgow Commonwealth Games team, his sixth Australian team. There he will run only the 400m, and can’t run on the relay as the mixed 4x400m relay clashes with the 400m final.

Education: Batchelor of Health Science at La Trobe University (-2025)…Employment: coaches at a local school and works in a café…Most influential person in your career: My coach has been the greatest influence as he put me in the best position to try and be the best I can be, and without him I probably wouldn’t have gotten close…Advice to your young self: Stay grounded be patient, listen and learn…Hobbies: time with friends, going to the football walking the dog and spending time outdoors…Sporting ambition: getting everything out of himself during his career…Biggest challenge faced: transition from a junior to an open athlete and the large increase in maturity and mindset that comes with that. There was no other real way to learn than through experiences which I feel has put me in a better position and made me a better person.

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