Jack Rayner (runner)

When Rayner was about 7 years of age his parents looked for a sport for him. A neighbour suggested he would make a good cross country runner. By the age of 9 he had a coach, Keith Fearnley. A year later he ran at his first national cross country championships. For the next ten years he continued to run nationally mostly finishing just outside the medals. However, when he was 17 years of age he won the national junior 5000m.

After school, Rayner was unsure what to do with his life and worked in landscaping for a few years. He still ran long distances and competed in fun runs. He then decided to take his running seriously and joined Nic Bideau's Melbourne Track Club.{{Cite web|title=Jack Rayner|url=https://www.olympics.com.au/olympians/jack-rayner/|access-date=2021-09-30|website=Australian Olympic Committee|language=en-AU}}

In 2015 he won the Australian national championships in the 3000m.{{Cite web|url=https://worldathletics.org/athletes/australia/jack-rayner-296003|title=Jack RAYNER {{!}} Profile|website=worldathletics.org|access-date=2020-03-15}} In 2018 he won the half marathon national championships in the Sunshine Coast. Later on in 2018, Jack won the inaugural half marathon Commonwealth championships in Cardiff in a time of 1:01:01.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/wales/45776969|title=Cardiff Half Marathon 2018: Jack Rayner wins inaugural Commonwealth Championships|date=2018-10-07|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2020-03-15|language=en-gb}}

In October 2019 he was one of forty-one pacemakers in the Ineos 1:59 Challenge, where Eliud Kipchoge successfully became the first person to run the marathon distance in under 2 hours.{{cite web |title=Jack Rayner |url=https://www.ineos159challenge.com/team/pacemakers/jack-rayner/ |publisher=Ineos 1:59 Challenge |accessdate=5 May 2020}}

In April 2019, Rayner made his marathon debut in London and clocked a Tokyo Olympic qualifier of 2:11.06, a time which has held up for selection for the postponed Games in 2021.

On 6 March 2022 Rayner set a new Australian record in the 10,000m with a time of 27:15.22.{{cite web |title=Rayner breaks Australian 10,000m record |url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/athletics/rayner-breaks-australian-10000m-record-c-5964968#:~:text=Rayner%20breaks%20Australian%2010%2C000m%20record,-John%20SalvadoAAP&text=Distance%20runner%20Jack%20Rayner%20has%20smashed%20the%20Australian%2010%2C000m,in%20Oregon%20later%20this%20year. |website=The West Australian |access-date=8 March 2022 |language=en |date=7 March 2022}}

On 21 February 2025, Rayner set a new Oceanian and Australian short track 5,000m record of 12.59.43, becoming the first Australian to run under 13 minutes indoors.{{cite web |title=Men's indoor 5,000m at the BU David Hemery Valentine Invitational |url=https://www.flotrack.org/articles/13764515-cole-hocker-cooper-teare-hit-5k-world-standard-at-bu-dmr-challenge-2025 |website=flotrack.org |date=22 February 2025 |access-date=22 February 2025}}

{{reflist}}

• {{World Athletics|australia/jack-rayner-14517160}}
• [https://athletics.possumbility.com/athletes/athlete6318.htm Jack Rayner] at Australian Athletics Historical Results
• {{Australian Olympic Committee|jack-rayner}}
• {{Commonwealth Games Australia|jack-rayner}}
• {{Olympics.com|jack-rayner}}
• {{Olympedia}}
• {{2022 Commonwealth Games profile|53550}}

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Category:1995 births

Category:Living people

Category:Australian male long-distance runners

Category:Australian male marathon runners

Category:Australian male cross country runners

Category:Olympic athletes for Australia

Category:Olympic male marathon runners

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Australia

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2022 Commonwealth Games

Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

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