| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Events | 20km Race Walk |
| DOB | 18/11/2002 |
| Coach | Brent Vallance |
| Club | Mornington |
| Teams | 2022 World Race Walking Teams, 2023 World University Games, 2024 World Race Walking Teams Championship, 2025 World Championships, 2025 World University Games |
As a teenager in early 2022 Will Thompson made his Australian team debut over the challenging senior 20km race walk distance recording the stunning time of 1:24.40 to qualify for selection in the Australian team for the World Race Walking Teams Championships. Over the last couple of years, he has become a regular member of the National team as he continues to significantly improve his times. He was selected as a reserve for the Paris Olympics.
His 2025 campaign has been of high quality, placing third in the National 20km walk he dipped under the 1:20 barrier in July when he clocked 1:19.56 in the Victorian Championships, where he also defeated Olympic medallist Rhydian Cowley.
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Will Thompson started his journey in athletics aged nine and by 11 he was already race walking. He regards his first break through race was a 10km walk in January 2021. Just two months after competition in Victoria had resumed due to the pandemic. He clocked a near two minute 10,000m Walk PB of 41:50.5. He went on to win the national U20 10,000m walk title which he describes as one of his biggest challengers.
“Having to race my national trials and World Juniors selection race (Sydney, 2021) knowing that Australia wasn’t sending a team to Kenya (due to security concerns) was difficult.”
That summer 2021/22 he continued to progress clocking a 50 seconds PB of 41:00.3 for 10,000m in January. Stepping up to the 20km Walk in February, he clocked 1:24.40 – a performance he describes as his second breakthrough performance.
In 2023, in a race in Japan, he took near three minutes from his PB, now down to 1:21.56. He placed nineth at the World University Games in August. The outstanding progression continued in 2024 clocking 1:20.34 at an international race in China. The time elevated him to number 10 Australian all-time. In April he competed at the World Race Walking Teams Championships in Turkey – his third National team.
Will Thompson recognises just how important his coach has been for his career.
“Without coach Brent Vallance offering to coach and guide me through the sport I would be nowhere near where I am today,” said Will a Bachelor of Exercise Science student at ACU.
@ 18 Aug 2025 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au
