Rhydian Cowley

Biography

Rhydian Cowley’s journey in race walking started at the young age of eight, guided by the encouragement of his dad. Over the years, Rhydian evolved from a promising junior athlete to a household name in Australian race walking.

Making his international junior debut at the 2008 World Walking Cup in Russia, Rhydian quickly showcased his prowess, following up with appearances at the 2010 World Walking Cup and the IAAF World Junior Championships. His transition to senior competition was marked by a notable debut at the 2012 World Race Walking Cup at the age of 21.

Rhydian’s first Olympic experience came at Rio 2016, where he placed 33rd in the 20km walk. He continued to make strides in his career, competing at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, where he impressed with an 11th place finish. A remarkable period from 2012 to 2018 saw Rhydian consistently perform around the 1:22 to 1:24 mark for the 20km walk.

In 2019, a shift in training focus and a change to Brent Vallance’s coaching squad propelled Rhydian to record a personal best of 1:20.19, placing him among the top seven Australians of all time. His efforts were rewarded with qualifications for both the Doha World Championships and the Tokyo Olympics.

Tokyo 2020 was a highlight, with Rhydian finishing 8th in the 50km walk, achieving a championship-level personal best, and continuing Australia's strong legacy in race walking. Rhydian’s dedication and enjoyment of the sport remained evident as he added new personal bests and national records in 2023, gearing up for yet another Olympic appearance in Paris 2024.