Seth O'Donnell

Seth O'Donnell

Personal information
Born	(2001-09-14) 14 September 2001 (age 24)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Long-distance running, Cross Country running
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	1500m: 3:37.82 (Kortrijk, 2025) 3000m: 7:34.03 (Sollentuna, 2025) 5000m: 13:14.57 (Melbourne, 2025) 10,000m: 27:59.65 (Melbourne, 2025) Road 10km 28:42 (Melbourne, 2024) Half Marathon: 1:03:25 (Melbourne, 2024)

Seth O'Donnell (born 14 September 2001) is an Australian long-distance runner. He became Australian champion over 5000 metres and 10,000 metres in 2025, and competed for Australia at the 2025 World Athletics Championships. ^[1]

Career

From Melbourne, he was Victoria state champion in the under-20 5000 metres in March 2020. ^{[2] [3]}

O'Donnell won his first Australian national cross country title in Oakbank, South Australia in muddy conditions, in 2022. ^[4] O’Donnell won his second national cross country title in wet conditions in Launceston, Tasmania, in 2024. ^[5]

O'Donnell had a successful 2025, despite suffering from stress fractures throughout the year. ^[6] In April 2025, O'Donnell won over 5000 metres at the Australian Athletics Championships in Perth, running 13:49.30 to beat Cameron Myers and Ky Robinson. ^[7]

in August, he ran a personal best 7:34.43 for the 3000 metres in Sweden, finishing runner-up to Andreas Almgren in Sollentuna. ^[8] In September 2025, he competed over 5000 metres at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, without advancing to the final. ^[9] On 13 November, O'Donnell broke the Victorian Milers Club record for 3000 metres. ^[10]

In December 2025, O'Donnell won the Australian 10,000 metres title in Melbourne in a time of 27:59.65. ^{[11] [6]} That month, he was runner-up to Myers at the Australian World Championships Cross Country trials at Stromlo Forest Park, and was subsequently selected for the Australia team for the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, placing 45th overall. ^{[12] [13] [14]}

Personal life

A keen drummer, O'Donnell has been described as a cult hero in Australian athletics due to his distinctive mullet hairstyle and fearless racing style. ^[15]

References

1. "Seth O'Donnell". World Athletics. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
2. "GETTING TO KNOW SETH O'DONNELL". One Running. July 2, 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
3. "Victorian Championships". World Athletics. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
4. "MUD, SWEAT AND TEARS - O'DONNELL AND HANSEN TAKE TOUGH TITLES". Athletics.com.au. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
5. "POMPEANI AND O'DONNELL CLAIM AUSTRALIAN CROSS COUNTRY TITLES IN WET AND WILD CONDITIONS". Athletics.com.au. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
6. Mitchell, Miranda (December 17, 2025). "Zatopek:10 Results: Seth O'Donnell and Lauren Ryan Claim 2025 Australian 10,000m Titles". World Track. Retrieved 19 Dec 2025.
7. "Australian Championships". World Athletics. 10 April 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
8. "Folksam Grand Prix Sollentuna". World Athletics. 10 August 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
9. "World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025". World Athletics. 18 Sep 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
10. Johnson, Len (17 November 2025). "We've got to talk about Seth". Runners Tribe. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
11. "O'DONNELL AND RYAN ADD NAMES TO ZATOPEK:10 WINNER'S LIST". athletics.com.au. 11 Dec 2025. Retrieved 16 Dec 2025.
12. "28 ATHLETES TO BUILD ON BATHURST BREAKTHROUGH AT WORLD CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS". athletics.com.au. 9 Dec 2025. Retrieved 16 Dec 2025.
13. "SPEED OVER STRENGTH: MYERS OUT KICKS O'DONNELL TO WIN CROSS COUNTRY TRIAL". Inside Athletics. 2 December 2025. Retrieved 19 Dec 2025.
14. "46th World Athletics Cross Country Championships". World Athletics. 10 Jan 2026. Retrieved 11 Jan 2026.
15. Gates, Zachary (13 December 2025). "Unstoppable kick, pure guts: Lauren Ryan, Seth O'Donnell claim Australian 10,000m crowns". Nine.com.au. Retrieved 19 December 2025.