Episode 35 is a chat with Brooke Stratton. Brooke is an Olympic athlete who is the current Australian & Oceanic Record Holder in long jump. Brooke started her career at the Nunawading Little Athletics centre at the age of 5. She competed at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing and later at the 2016 Summer Olympics finishing seventh.
Her personal best in the event is 7.05 metres set at the Perth Track Classic on March 12, 2016, breaking the 14-year-old Australian record held by Bronwyn Thompson.
She was selected for the Australian Athletics team (in long jump) at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Queensland placing 2nd
Brooke Stratton is not my usual athletic interviewee as she is not an ultra runner. However, I felt that her story is very relevant to all distance, trail and ultra runners. Brooke was, until very recently, preparing herself for her A-event of the year; the Tokyo Olympics. As devastating as it is for us when our local 50k is cancelled, Brooke’s situation puts our own in perspective. I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to prepare for an event for years and to have that cancelled. I thought a chat with an Olympian would be the best way to find out. I hope you enjoy our conversation