Rhydian Cowley
Athletics
Discipline : Race Walk
Age : 35
Gender : Male
Olympic Games
- 2016, Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games
- 20km Walk
- 2021, Tokyo Olympic Games
- 8th in 50km Walk
- 2024, Paris Olympic Games
- 12th in 20km Walk
- Bronze in 42km Race Walk Team
Commonwealth Games
- 2018, Gold Coast Commonwealth Games
- 11th in 20km Walk
- 2022, Birmingham Commonwealth Games
- 8th in 10km Walk
World Championships
- 2017, World Championships
- 20km Walk
- 2018, World Race Walking Team Championships
- 20km Walk
- 13th in 20km Walk Team
- 2019, World Championships
- 20km Walk
- 2022, World Race Walking Team Championships
- 11th in 20km Walk
- 4th in 20km Walk Team
- 2022, World Championships
- 20km Walk
- 35km Walk
- 2023, World Championships
- 14th in 20km Walk
- 35km Walk
- 2024, World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships
- 6th in 42km Race Walk Team
- 2025, World Athletics Championships
- 11th in 35km Walk
- 20km Walk
- 2010, World Junior Championships
- 10000m Walk
- 2013, World Athletics Championships
- 20km Walk
- 2016, World Race Walking Team Championships
- 20km Walk
- 12th in 20km Walk Team
How does the VIS support your career in high performance sport?
VIS support has helped me better understand how to get the best out of myself on race day, and also has helped me keep up the consistent year-on-year work required to keep improving, mastering my event, and to shatter what I thought my limits were. The strong sense of being a team has helped - I know that my physiotherapist, strength & conditioning coach, sports psychologist, physiologist, biomechanist, dietician and coach are all working well together to help me put all the pieces of the puzzle together.
Most memorable sporting moment?
Winning bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with fellow VIS athlete, Jemima Montag, in the Mixed Team Marathon Walk Relay.
Proudest personal achievement outside of sport?
Winning the BBC Green Sports Award World Athlete of the Year in 2024. It made me feel that my work as a climate action advocate is having an impact on making the world a better place, and that my voice as an athlete has value and power.
What do you enjoy most about your sport?
The friendships I've made across the years, with people from around Australia and from many countries around the world.
Advice to your younger self?
Keep curious and remember to enjoy the journey and have fun along the way.
Go-to meal before competing?
Lots and lots of rice.
What do you enjoy doing outside of sport?
Hobbies include birdwatching, reading and jam-making (and sharing).
Other things I do stem from wanting to be involved in too many things. Let's go through them: part-time work at a conservation not for profit, climate activism, and community involvement. This includes being the treasurer at my local community garden, Fawkner Food Bowls, a committee member at Merri Food Hub, secretary of the Australian Athletics Athlete Advisory Committee, member of the VIS Athlete Advisory, VIS Reconciliation Working Group and VIS Sustainability Squad.
Also I'm an ambassador for several charities, including the Sports Environment Alliance, EcoAthletes & Soap Aid. I'm also involved in community speaking through VIS Community Programs and with the Australian Sports Museum's meet an Olympian program.


