Eloise’s dream to become an Olympic athlete started at a young age. Holding the under 6’s record in shot put at Little Athletics, she began to show promise as a middle and long distance runner at the age of 10 and moved her focus. Watching the Barelona Olympics inspired her, and she decided that she wanted to one day compete for Australia.
Having qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics at just 16 years old, it seemed that her dream had come true. However she suffered a heartbreaking stress fracture, her first of 11, and was unable to compete at the Olympics in her own backyard.
She didn’t give up on her dream, and despire missing out on the Athens Olympics, and again on the Beijing Olympics due to injury, her dream finally came to fruition in 2012 where she represented Australia at the London Olympics in the 10,000m 5000m and track events, placing 21st and 23rd respectively.
Other career highlights include a gold medal in the 5000m University Games in 2003, 4th in the 5000m at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2004, and 6th at the Dheli Commonwealth games in the 10000m in 2010.
Most recently at the Rio Olympics Eloise was the highest placing Australian Athlete in the history of the 10,000m finishing 10thin a personal best time. She followed her career best result with a 9th place finish in the 5000m final.
Eloise has taken on a leadership role amongst other female distance runners and acts a mentor and an inspiration to many young and upcoming athletes.