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Aussie 20-year-old phenom betters Cathy Freeman record

Riley Morgan
·Sports Reporter
·2-min read
Aussie Bendere Oboya (pictured) ran the second fastest women's time over 400m in 2021 ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. (Getty Images)
Aussie Bendere Oboya (pictured) ran the second fastest women's time over 400m in 2021 ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. (Getty Images)

One of Australia's most memorable sporting moments is Cathy Freeman's 400m Gold Medal at the Sydney Olympic Games.

The nation, and the world, watched on as Freeman pulled away from Lorraine Graham and Katharine Merry to clinch gold and etch her name into Australian folklore.

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And one young Aussie is looking to emulate Freeman's glory on the biggest stage.

Young 20-year-old Bendere Oboya competed at Sydney Olympic Park on the weekend and achieved something special.

Oboya won the 400m NSW Women's Championship after she finished ahead of Aussie champ and Olympic finalist Annaleise Ruby.

But what made it more incredible is her time of 51.61 seconds, which is the second fastest time in the world in 2021.

Only current world champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, 26, has bettered that time in 2021.

Oboya's looking at Tokyo Olympics glory

To put it into perspective, she has run a faster time than Cathy Freeman and 1964 Olympic winner Betty Cuthbert when they were 20 years old.

The state championship run was also her third fastest time after her two runs at the World Championships in Doha.

Freeman was 27-years-old when she won her gold medal with a time of 49.11 seconds.

After the race, Oboya acknowledged she needed to run 51 seconds in the Tokyo semi-final if she is to qualify for the final.

Silver medalist Ella Connolly of Australia, gold medalist Bendere Oboya of Australia and bronze medalist Amber Anning of England pose after the medal ceremony for Girls 400m Final on day 4 of the 2017 Youth Commonwealth Games.
Silver medalist Ella Connolly of Australia, gold medalist Bendere Oboya of Australia and bronze medalist Amber Anning of England pose after the medal ceremony for Girls 400m Final on day 4 of the 2017 Youth Commonwealth Games. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) (Mark Kolbe via Getty Images)

She also added that trainer, John Quinn, was helping her back up the runs.

This is because she will most likely have to run even faster if she is to replicate Cathy Freeman and clinch gold at the Olympics.

Oboya hasn't lost to a fellow Australian over that distance in three years and will be favourite to win another National title in Sydney next month.

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