AUSSIE GRIT BINDS COACH-ATHLETE COMBINATION EYEING OLYMPIC GLORY.
While most of the Coast was sleeping, Peyton ran the race of his life at the On Track Night in Vienna, Austria last Saturday to smash out a time of 1:44.12 for the 800m event. This time is 0.58 seconds faster than the qualifying standard and places Peyton in hot contention for a spot on the Paris 2024 Olympic team. It also ranks him as the third fastest Australian 800m runner of all time.
‘Oh mate, I’m absolutely stoked!”, an elated Peyton said in interview after the race. “I ran six 1.45s this year just trying to click away at the standard and to finally come out and do it, it’s pretty bloody special!"
New to the European circuit, the race was 19-year-old Peyton’s second on the continent, but it was his last chance to run a Paris 2024 Olympic qualifier before the Australian Athletics team selection. “I think I went in with a mindset of just no regrets”, Peyton said, “whatever happened, happened but I wanted to walk off the track knowing that I left everything I had out there”.
For his coach, watching the race on his laptop at his Sunshine Coast home was like being on a 1.44.12-minute roller coaster, followed by a flood of emotions. “My initial feeling after Peyto qualified was that of relief, then sheer joy” Brendan said. “In fact, I actually cried tears of joy, especially when Peyto phoned me moments after the race. Both Peyto and I knew that he could run the qualifier, but a few things had to align”.
Brendan has been coaching Peyton since he was 12. It was at this age that Peyton’s exceptional talent and drive as an athlete shone through, and his parents made the decision to relocate their family from Gladstone on Queensland’s central coast to the Sunshine Coast to increase his sporting opportunities. “Peyton’s parents are his greatest support”, says Brendan. Peyton met teacher Brendan at Chancellor State College when he started there as a student and their partnership has been a series of sporting success stories ever since.
But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Also an elite triathlete, Peyton made the decision only 18 months ago to change focus purely to track running so is quite new to the technicalities of the sport. He also experienced a painful shin stress injury demanding an almost 8-month complete break from running, returning only last October. During this time he focused on becoming stronger in the gym and set himself some lofty goals - including representing Australia in the 800m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He has also had his share of losses and frustrations with flatlining times.
However, Brendan sees these setbacks as an important part of the process “The catalyst for Peyton’s breakthrough would have to be learning from each of his races this season and seeking to improve”, he said. “We learned more from his losses than his wins and identified his weaknesses and addressed them after nationals”.
For both Peyton and Brendan, learning, persisting, experimenting, getting knocked down, getting back up and importantly caring have been central principles of their practice as both athlete and coach.
“Since making the decision to focus exclusively on track we have made many modifications to Peyton’s training. A massive catalyst was becoming part of the PTP (Pathway Transition Program) initiated by Athletics Australia. We attended a three-day camp at the AIS in December 2023 and made many connections”, said Brendan.
“For me as coach there were quality mentors in all aspects of high performance, and I took this opportunity whole heartedly. I continue to have access to high level support people and mentors, and Peyton now been selected into the National Athlete Support Scheme. For Peyton, there is access to biomechanics analysis, sports psychology, nutritionists, physiotherapists, strength and conditioning coaching, health and wellbeing support. This has been the support team around him and me and for this we are extremely grateful, this also includes his running sponsors On Athletics and University of the Sunshine Coast High Performance Centre”, he said.
“Another factor is the quality group of training partners that he has around him. The squad have been buzzing with excitement since his qualification and I know that he inspires each of them”, Brendan said.
Brendan currently coaches the Sunshine Coast Track Club, a squad of up to 20 young aspiring athletes. Most of his mornings are filled with the sound of rhythmic running footsteps and the smell of dewy grass as his charges repeat their sets over and over under his watchful eye. His ability to motivate all of them individually and collectively as well as improve their technique and speed is very well regarded and led to him recently receiving a Sunshine Coast Sports Award for the 2023-24 summer season. He was nominated by one of his athletes.
But he doesn’t like the attention “I generally try to avoid the limelight” he says.
Also from the Gladstone region, Brendan was a successful athlete himself, competing at the national level in the 400m hurdle and sprint events. He and Peyton share a similar steely reserve, like a protective coating that would enable them to thrive regardless of circumstances. When asked if Gladstone has anything to do with his and Peyton’s similar drive and determination, Brendan smiles. “We call it the nursery”, he laughs. “Where talent is made”.
So, what is the plan now? “At this stage we wait for confirmation of Peyton’s inclusion in the team on the 8th July”, Brendan said. “Our next big goal for now is to make the Olympic finals in Paris, but being selected is the first step”.
And as for the future? “Well, I’ll say it again, “Hard work beats talent, when talent stops working hard..... BUT when talent works hard... magic happens!"”.
We will no doubt see more magic from both Peyton and Brendan in years to come.
