Brielle Erbacher

Biography

After successfully representing Australia at the 2018 World Juniors, Toowoomba’s Brielle Erbacher has transitioned successfully into seniors and after just missing selection for the Tokyo Olympics, will line up in the 3000m steeplechase for Australia at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games.

In her senior debut for Australia, Brielle placed 11th in her heat of the 3000m steeplechase at the World Championships in Eugene, clocking 9:40.55. Two weeks later she had a tough day at the Commonwealth Games. She fell twice in the race, but bravely battled on to place eighth.

In 2023 she ran well in the Brisbane Track Classic, clocking 9:40.64, then a week later placed fourth in a thrilling National steeplechase race. She was named in the Australian team for the Budapest World Championships – her 3rd Australian team in 12 months. In Budapest she placed 11th in her heat clocking 9:57.11 in the warm conditions.

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Brielle Erbacher played most sports at school, but running was always her passion. “I began in under 9s at Little Athletics and continued that all the way through until under-17s.”

Into a steeplechase career in her mid-teens, she clocked 6:48 for 2000m steeplechase aged 17. The next year, in 2017, she was Australian U20 3000m steeplechase champion. Aiming for World Junior selection in 2018, early in the year she smashed her PBs across all the distances 1500m, 3000m, 2000m & 3000m Steeplechase. She placed second at the Australian U20 Championships/ trials and secured selection to travel to Tampere in Finland. At the World Juniors she ran a nine seconds PB in the heats, finishing up with 15th place in the final. She closed 2018 with more PBs, particularly of note 6:32 in the 2000m steeple.

In 2019, she graduated to opens, setting more PBs on the flat.
“Making world juniors was definitely a great stepping stone leading into my senior racing.”

In 2021, now aged 22, Brielle really started to make progress, PBs at 1500m, 3000m (3), 5000m, 2000m steeplechase and significantly in the 3000m steeplechase. She went from 10:09 to 10.06, then to 9:56 and 9:49 at Nationals where she placed fourth. Still with Olympic aspirations, she ran another PB 9:40.59 when placing third at the Oceania Championships, just missing selection for Tokyo.

She started off 2022, just like the previous year with PBs across the events, 800m, 1500, 3000m and 2000m steeple. Also in the all important 3000m steeplechase she took eight seconds from her best in three races from March, including a second place at Nationals and third at Payton Jordan in the US, where she just missed the qualifying standard with a brilliant 9:32.96 – she was now the 7th fastest in Australia history.

In June she won the Oceania title and was later named in the Australian teams for the Commonwealth Games and World Championships.

Occupation: I work for our family business as a tradie, ranging from artificial turf installation, waterproofing, pest management and pretty much whatever else my dad has planned for me…Advice to your young self: Just enjoy the process it doesn’t all have to happen at once…Enjoyment of competing: I love racing stacks of different people and finding myself in all different race scenarios especially in the steeplechase…Biggest Challenge: Being based in Toowoomba, with no actual water jump to practice steeple and 1hr 45min to a synthetic track for competitions ...Hometown: Hodgson Vale 12km south of Toowoomba.

@ November 2023 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au

World Athletics Profile https://worldathletics.org/athletes/australia/brielle-erbacher-14636382