Alex Beck
{{Short description|Australian athlete (born 1992)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Alex Beck
| birth_name = Alexander Beck
| image =
| caption =
| nationality = Australian
| sport = Track and Field
| event = 400 metres
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|2|7|df=yes}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| medaltemplates= {{Medal|Sport | Men's athletics}}
{{Medal|Country|{{flagu|AUS}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|Oceania Championships}}
{{Medal|Bronze|2024 Suva|400 m}}
}}
Alexander (Alex) Beck (born 7 February 1992) is an Australian Olympic athlete. He is a three time defending National champion.
Beck was selected to represent Australia in the men's 400 metres at the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo.{{Cite web|title=Final Australian track and field team for Tokyo Games to include 63 athletes|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/final-australian-track-and-field-team-for-tokyo-games-to-include-63-athletes|access-date=2021-07-10|website=SBS News|language=en}} He ran a personal best of 45.54 to finish sixth in his heat.{{cite web |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/result-men-s-400m-rnd1-000100-.htm |title= Athletics - Round 1 - Heat 1 Results|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801015825/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/result-men-s-400m-rnd1-000100-.htm |archive-date=1 August 2021}} At the 2022 Oceania Athletics Championships Beck won the gold
medal in the 400 metres race.{{cite web | url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1124437/hobb-and-doran-sprint-success-oceania | title=Hobbs and Doran break sprint records at Oceania Athletics Championships | date=12 June 2022 }} Beck reached the semi-finals of the 400 metres event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, with a run of 45.99.{{cite web | url=https://www.thewest.com.au/sport/athletics/aussie-beck-qualifies-for-400m-semis-at-wc-c-7554893.amp | title=Aussie Beck qualifies for 400m semis at WC | date=17 July 2022 }}
He ran as part of the Australian 4x400m relay team at the 2024 World Relays Championships in Nassau, Bahamas.{{cite web|website=World Athletics|accessdate=12 May 2024|url= https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/bahamas24/results/men/4x400-metres-relay/final/startlist |title= 4X400 METRES RELAY|date=5 May 2024}}
Early years
From Benowa, Queensland, Beck was aged 16 when he came third in the 400 metres at the Australian Junior Championships. Following that, selection on the Australian World Youth team in 2009 followed and selection for the World Junior Championships the following year.{{Cite web|title=Alex Beck|url=https://emageogroup.com/client/alex-beck/|access-date=2021-07-10|website=Emageo Group|language=en-US}} Beck was selected for the Moscow 2013 IAAF World Athletics Championships where he was a member of the team that ran the 4 x 400 metres relay.{{Cite web|title=START LIST - 4 x 400 Metres Relay Men - Round 1|url=https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/6033/AT-4X4-M-h----.SL2.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=July 11, 2021|website=media.aws.iaaf.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006063108/https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/6033/AT-4X4-M-h----.SL2.pdf |archive-date=2019-10-06 }} Beck then competed for Australia in the 4 x 400 metres relay at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-20|title=Alex Beck Results|url=https://commonwealthgames.com.au/athletes/alex-beck/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-10|website=Commonwealth Games Australia|language=en-AU|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923041904/https://commonwealthgames.com.au/athletes/alex-beck/ |archive-date=2020-09-23 }}
Achievements
Beck won the 400 metres Australian championships in 2021, running 46.01 to defeat five time national champion Steve Solomon,{{Cite web|last=Chapman|first=Ric|date=2021-04-18|title=The Aussie athletics stars who booked tickets to Tokyo — some are true medal hopes|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/olympics/tokyo-olympic-games-2021-australian-olympic-team-track-and-field-team-qualifiers-medal-hopes-tokyo-2020-athletes/news-story/72e18473e7744cdf6baeedf37218d6bf|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-10|website=Fox Sports|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514110709/https://www.foxsports.com.au/olympics/tokyo-olympic-games-2021-australian-olympic-team-track-and-field-team-qualifiers-medal-hopes-tokyo-2020-athletes/news-story/72e18473e7744cdf6baeedf37218d6bf |archive-date=2021-05-14 }} before doubling up and being awarded the 200 metres title as well after Abdoulie Asim was disqualified for running out of his lane. This made him the first Australian man in 30 years to win both races in the same year.{{Cite web|last=Gullan|first=Scott|date=2021-04-18|title=How a Bible verse inspired highest leap ever in Olympic trials|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/olympics/stewart-mcsweyn-tipped-to-surpass-craig-mottram-as-australias-best-middledistance-runner-of-modern-times/news-story/f289626a646b68a848e92e8269b6c3e7|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-10|website=Herald Sun|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417213552/https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/olympics/stewart-mcsweyn-tipped-to-surpass-craig-mottram-as-australias-best-middledistance-runner-of-modern-times/news-story/f289626a646b68a848e92e8269b6c3e7 |archive-date=2021-04-17 }}
Beck completed his Bachelor of Exercise Science degree and then did a Doctor of Physiotherapy degree from Bond University.{{Cite web|title=Eight Bondies bound for Tokyo Olympics|url=https://bond.edu.au/intl/news/68317/eight-bondies-bound-tokyo-olympics|website=Bond University}} He is now a qualified physiotherapist.{{Cite web|title=Alexander Beck|url=https://www.olympics.com.au/olympians/alexander-beck/|access-date=2021-09-11|website=Australian Olympic Committee|language=en-AU}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{sport links}}
- {{Commonwealth Games Australia|alex-beck}}
{{Footer Australia NC 400m Men}}
{{Australia at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beck, Alex}}
Category:Australian male sprinters
Category:Olympic athletes for Australia
Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Australia
Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Australia
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Category:Australian Athletics Championships winners
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics