Patrick Tiernan

Biography

Patrick Tiernan, hailing from Toowoomba, QLD, has emerged as one of Australia’s top distance runners in recent years. His journey in athletics began unexpectedly when a primary school teacher noticed his potential during a casual run. From those early days in Toowoomba, Patrick’s dedication to his sport led him overseas to Villanova University in the United States, a renowned institution for distance running. While there, he studied mathematics and economics, and notably, became the first Australian to win the NCAA cross country in over five decades.

2016 marked a significant year for Patrick. He earned a medal in the NCAA 5000m, competed for Australia in the Rio Olympics, and secured a victory in the Zatopek 10,000m, setting the stage for a stellar 2017. Over a mere 63 days in 2017, Patrick made remarkable strides with personal bests in the 3000m, 5000m, and 10,000m. By the end of that period, he was recognized as one of the premier distance runners in Australian history.

Despite facing injuries and setbacks around the time of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Patrick continued to push forward. He had a standout performance in the 2019 season, setting a personal best in the 5000m and qualifying for both the World Championships and the Tokyo Olympics. Although he faced challenges at the World Championships, he rebounded impressively at the Zatopek, finishing just behind the new national record holder, Stewart McSweyn.

The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t slow him down. In 2020, Patrick broke the national 10,000m record in California, securing his spot for the Tokyo Olympics. During these Games, while he faced a challenging race in the 10,000m event, his determination to finish despite significant physical exhaustion was nothing short of heroic, showcasing his warrior spirit.

Moving to road races in 2022, Patrick displayed his versatility by clocking a commendable 60:55 in the half marathon and debuting with 2:11.02 in the Chicago Marathon. Though 2023 presented new challenges, including an injury that kept him out of the World Championships, Patrick bounced back in early 2024. His performance in Houston, clocking 2:07.45, elevated him to second in Australia’s all-time marathon rankings and solidified his place in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.

Reflecting on his post-Tokyo journey, Patrick mentions, “The last few years have been a little rough, but I think we have been playing with those things to figure out what works and what doesn’t. We are figuring that out now and are a lot closer than we were in Tokyo. We now have six months to build on that (towards Paris).” Patrick's story is a testament to his resilience, adapting to changing circumstances while continually aiming for greatness.