Cara Feain-Ryan

Last updated

Cara Feain-Ryan
Personal information
Nationality Flag of Australia (converted).svg   Australia
Home town Brisbane, Queensland, Australia [1]
Education
Height170 cm (5 ft 7 in) [3]
Weight55 kg (121 lb) [3]
Sport
Sport Sport of athletics
Event(s) 3000 metres
3000 metres steeplechase
Coached byBen Norton [1]
Now coaching Moreton Bay College [2]
Achievements and titles
National finals
Personal best(s) 3000m :
9:00.94 (2024)

3000mSC :
9:28.72 (2023)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
World University Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Chengdu 3000 m s'chase
Oceania Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2022 Mackay 3000 m s'chase
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2024 Suva 3000 m s'chase
Updated on 4 April 2024

Cara Feain-Ryan (born 5 February 1999) is an Australian steeplechase runner. She was the gold medalist over 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2023 World University Games, and her best of 9:29.60 ranks her 6th all-time amongst Australians. [1]

Contents

Career

Feain-Ryan began running in regional youth competitions as early as 2013, participating in cross country running and winning the national U18 2000 metres steeplechase title. [3] [2] She first represented Australia at the 2022 Oceania Athletics Championships, where she won a silver medal in the 3000 metres steeplechase. [3] She later qualified for her first global championship at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, where she finished 11th in her heat and did not qualify for the finals. [3]

At the 2021 Summer World University Games (postponed to 2023), Feain-Ryan kicked in the final lap of the 3000 m steeplechase to win her first international gold medal. [4] [5] She won her first senior national title at the 2023 Australian Athletics Championships, qualifying her to represent Australia again at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. [6] [7] At the world championships, she finished 7th in her heat and did not advance to the finals. [3]

Personal life

Feain-Ryan grew up in Alstonville, New South Wales, Australia. Her mother supports her athletic career, as her father died of brain cancer in 2008. [6] In 2015, she moved from Lismore, New South Wales, to Brisbane, where she trains with Genevieve Gregson. [1] [4]

She received a sports scholarship at the University of Queensland, where she studied speech pathology. She struggled with injuries during her early university career. Feain-Ryan is now coached professionally by Ben Norton, and she also coaches youth cross country and middle-distance running at Moreton Bay College. [2] [1] Feain-Ryan struggled with funding her career, telling the Sydney Morning-Herald that the Australian governing bodies did not adequately support her. [8]

Her cousin is Matt Ryan, Olympic medalist in rowing. [1]

Statistics

Personal best progression

3000m Steeplechase progression
#MarkPl.CompetitionVenueDateRef.
110:46.25Gold medal icon.svgQueensland Junior Championships Brisbane, Australia 12 Feb 2016
210:35.30Silver medal icon.svgSally Pearson Shield at QSAC Brisbane, Australia 19 Jan 2018 [9]
310:32.20Silver medal icon.svgColes Queensland Athletics Championships Brisbane, Australia 6 Mar 2019 [10]
410:28.16Gold medal icon.svg Brisbane, Australia 21 Feb 2020 [11]
510:19.01Gold medal icon.svgQueensland Athletics Championships Brisbane, Australia 4 Mar 2020 [12]
69:55.79Gold medal icon.svgColes Summer Super Series Canberra, Australia 24 Feb 2021 [13]
79:38.39Silver medal icon.svg Australian Athletics Championships Sydney, Australia 17 Apr 2021 [14]
89:36.35Gold medal icon.svgFestival Of Athletics Townsville, Australia 17 Jun 2021 [15]
99:29.607th (Heat 2) World Athletics Championships Budapest, Hungary 22 Aug 2023 [16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Australia, Athletics. "Cara Feain-Ryan". athletics.com.au. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Minerva: Cara Feain-Ryan". minervanetwork.com.au. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cara Feain-Ryan at Tilastopaja (subscription required)
  4. 1 2 "Barrier Breakthrough | Cara Feain-Ryan Hits 2023 World Championships in Form". athletics.com.au. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  5. Admin (5 August 2023). "Feain-Ryan leads a golden night at the World University Games". UniSport Australia. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Cara Feain-Ryan". Australian Sports Foundation. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  7. "Feain-Ryan wins dramatic steeplechase at Australian Championships". Inside Athletics. 1 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  8. Wright, Nick (19 December 2023). "'Living on the breadline': The crisis crippling Brisbane's Olympic hopefuls". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  9. "Athletics recap for meeting #12902942" . Tilastopaja .
  10. "Athletics recap for meeting #12919469" . Tilastopaja .
  11. "Athletics recap for meeting #undefined" . Tilastopaja .
  12. "Athletics recap for meeting #12959285" . Tilastopaja .
  13. "Athletics recap for meeting #12976925" . Tilastopaja .
  14. "Athletics recap for meeting #12981072" . Tilastopaja .
  15. "Athletics recap for meeting #12992883" . Tilastopaja .
  16. "Athletics recap for meeting #13046619" . Tilastopaja .