Bendere Oboya

Bendere Opamo Oboya (born 17 April 2000) is an Australian athlete.[1] She competed in the women's 400 metres event at the 2019 World Athletics Championships.[2] At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Oboya competed in both the women's 400 meters and was a member of the Australian team that competed in the women's 4 x 400 meter relay. She came fifth in her individual event in her heat and was eliminated. As a member of the team of Ellie Beer, Kendra Hubbard and Annaliese Rubie-Renshaw they finished 7th in their heat and did not contest the final.[3]

Bendere Oboya
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (2000-04-17) 17 April 2000
Gambela, Ethiopia
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportTrack and field
Event(s)400 metres

Early life

Oboya arrived in Australia in 2003 aged three with her family including five siblings. She participated in athletics when only very young at Blacktown Little Athletics. When she was 16 years old she went on a school athletics trip to Canada. This encouraged her to take her athletics career more seriously, found a coach and started training.[4] She has stated that she enjoyed her childhood growing up in Pendle Hill, New South Wales, in Sydney's west.[5]

Athletics career

Her talent was already visible at school when she quickly rose up the ranks.[5] At the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games, she won the gold medal at 400 metres. At the 2019 World Athletics Championships – 400 metres, she reached the semi-finals.[5]

She nearly quit the sport due to mental health issues after a tumultuous 2019 and a bitter split from her former coach.[5] John Quinn, who is a well-respected sprints coach, became her mentor. Quinn stated that Bendere Oboya is a role model because of her humility.[5] As of January 2021, she is Australia’s women's 400 metres champion (Sydney Track Classic). She was Australia’s only sprinter to have run a qualifying time for the Tokyo Olympics.[5]

References
  1. "Bendere Oboya". IAAF. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  2. "400 Metres Women - Round 1" (PDF). IAAF (Doha 2019). Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  3. "Athletics - OBOYA Bendere". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  4. "Bendere Oboya". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  5. The athletics training group helping runners from all backgrounds get back on track Amanda Shalala (ABC News), 1 January 2021. Accessed 20 July 2021.
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