Patrick Tiernan

Australian long-distance runner (born 1994)

  • Outdoor[3]
  • 1500 m: 3:38.64 (Eugene)
  • 3000 m: 7:37.76 (Olympic Stadium, London 2017)
  • 5000 m: 13:12.68 (Olympic Stadium, London 2019)
  • 10000 m: 27:22.55 (JSerra Catholic HS, San Juan Capistrano 2020)
  • Indoor[3]
  • 3000 m: 7:48.36 (New York 2019)i
  • 5000 m: 14:00.83 (Albuquerque 2014)i
  • Road[3]
  • 10 Kilometres: 28:37 (Atlanta 2022)
  • Half Marathon: 1:00:55 (Houston 2022)
  • Marathon: 2:07:45 (Houston 2024)
Medal record
Athletics
Representing  Australia
Oceania Youth Championships
Silver medal – second place 2011 Sydney 3000 m
Updated on 14 January 2024.

Patrick Tiernan (born 11 September 1994)[3] is an Australian long-distance runner. While competing for Vilanova University, he won the 2016 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. He has represented Australia in several global competitions, including the 2016 and 2020 Olympics. He held the Australian record in the 10000 m from 2020 to 2022.[4] Tiernan competes professionally for PUMA.

Running career

Youth

Tiernan was born in Longreach, a town in Queensland, Australia.[5] He spent his formative years in Toowoomba, also in Queensland, where he took up distance running while attending St. Joseph's College, Toowoomba. In July 2012, he won the 10 kilometres race that was part of the Gold Coast Marathon.[6]

College

Cross country

Tiernan competed for the Wildcats at Villanova University, where he earned All-American honors at each NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in which he competed.[7] As a freshman in 2013, Tiernan placed ninth, beating 244 other runners. He finished in eighteenth place the following year. In his junior year in 2015, Tiernan claimed the runner-up spot, closely contesting the title with University of Oregon’s Edward Cheserek.[8] Tiernan led much of the race, before Cheserek pulled away in the final mile.

Cheserek entered the 2016 NCAA Division Cross Country Championships as the clear favorite, having won the competition an unprecedented three years in a row.[9][10] The race took place LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Indiana, and it quickly unfolded into a three-man race between Tiernan, Cheserek, and Syracuse junior Justyn Knight.

Tiernan broke away from the other competitors in the final stages of the race, becoming the first Villanova man to win the NCAA Championships since Victor Zwolak in 1963. Knight finished in second place, leaving Cheserek in an unexpected third. Following his victory, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association named Tiernan its National Athlete of the Year.[11] In reflecting on the race, LetsRun.com wrote that Tiernan "defeated arguably the most dominant runner in collegiate history in a performance that will be talked about for decades to come."[12]

Tiernan (left) competing at the 2016 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.

Track

On the track, Tiernan recorded his highest finish at the 2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held in June, finishing third in 13:27.07.[13] Following the NCAA Championships, Tiernan continued to compete in Europe and achieved a time of 13:20.88 in the 5000 m at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland, on June 29.[14] This time was below the Olympic standard of 13:25.00. The following month, Australia confirmed his selection to the Olympic team for the 5000 m.[15] At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro on August 17, Tiernan participated in the 5000 m race but finished thirteenth in his heat, which did not qualify him for the final.

Professional

2017-19

Tiernan revealed his decision to sign a professional sponsorship deal with Nike on 26 March 2017.[16] The announcement came after he finished thirteenth at the 42nd IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Uganda. The following May, he won the 10000 m of the Palo Alto Payton Jordan Invitational in a world-leading time and personal best of 27:29.81.[17]

In August, Tiernan competed in the 2017 World Championships in Athletics. He placed last among twenty two competitors in the 10000 m. During the 5000 m, he took the lead at the 3000 m mark.[18] However, he relinquished his lead shortly thereafter, eventually fading to eleventh place by the finish. Tiernan returned to compete at the 2019 World Championships in Athletics. In the 5000 m, he finished in tenth place during the heats, which was not enough to secure a position in the final. Following his participation in the world championships, Tiernan joined the Nike-sponsored Oregon Track Club.[19]

2020-21

On 5 December 2020, Tiernan set a personal best of 27:22.55 in the 10,000m of The Track Meet in San Juan Capistrano, California.[4] His time was an Australian record, surpassing the previous mark set by Stewart McSweyn. Tiernan's national record stood for 458 days before being surpassed by his countryman Jack Rayner on 8 March 2022.[20]

After a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tiernan returned to competition in January 2021 at the Las Vegas Gold Half Marathon. He won the race in 1:02:38, covering the last five kilometers in 13:58.[21] Three weeks later, he dropped down in distance to contest the mile at the Washington Invitational in Seattle, Washington, winning in 3:56.82.[22]

The Australian competed in the 10,000m event at the 2020 Summer Olympics on 30 July 2021. During the race, he suffered from heat exhaustion, collapsing twice.[23][24] Nonetheless, Tiernan persevered in finishing the race, albeit in last place, and subsequently required a wheelchair and medical care. Due to this episode of heat exhaustion, he withdrew from the subsequent 5000 m event at the Games, despite being entered to compete.

2022- present

In January 2022, Tiernan left the Nike Oregon Track Club to compete for PUMA.[25] Tiernan placed sixth at the Aramco Houston Half Marathon in Houston, Texas, on 16 January, clocking a time of 1:00:55. This was the second-fastest time ever recorded by an Australian in the event, with only Brett Robinson having run faster.[26] In October 2022, he made his marathon debut at the Chicago Marathon, finishing in sixteenth place with a time of 2:11:02.[27]

Tiernan placed fourth at the 2024 Chevron Houston Marathon in 2:07:45 on the 14 January.[28] His time was the second fastest marathon ever by an Australian and met the qualifying standard for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Achievements

NCAA competition

All results from athlete's profile on the Track & Field Results Reporting Service (TFRRS).[29]

Year Big East Conference Cross Country NCAA Cross Country Big East Conference indoor NCAA indoor Big East Conference Outdoor NCAA Outdoor
2016-17 24:18.2 1st 29:22.0 1st
2015-16 22:23.1 1st 29:11.1 2nd 5000 m 14:03.53 1st 5000 m 14:12.53 1st 5000 m 13:27.07 3rd
3000 m 8:13.16 1st
2014-15 23:45.8 1st 30:41.4 18th 5000 m 14:18.04 1st 5000 m 14:36.85 1st 5000 m 13:55.81 10th
3000 m 8:18.73 2nd
2013-14 23:51.0 1st 30:15.7 9th 5000 m 14:04.26 1st 5000 m 14:00.83 7th 5000 m 13:56.01 1st 5000 m 13:31.25 6th
3000 m 8:10.71 2nd

International competition

All results from athlete's profile on World Athletics.[3]

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  Australia
2011 Oceania Youth Championships Sydney, Australia 2nd 3000 m 8:33.57
2016 Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 19th 5000 m 13:28.48
2017 World Cross Country Championships KampalaUganda 13th 10,000 m 29:19
World Championships London, United Kingdom 11th 5000 m 13:40.01
22nd 10,000 m 29:23.72
2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast, Queensland DQ 10th 10,000 m DQ 28:22.9
2019 World Championships Doha, Qatar 20th (h) 5000 m 13:28.42
2021 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan 19th 10,000 m 28:35.06
2011: 1st, Australian Junior (U18) cross country champion
2012: 1st, Gold Coast 10km run, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
2012: 1st, 1500 meters (3:50.67) U20 Australian Championships
2012: 1st, 5000 meters (14:40.59) U20 Australian Championships
2012: 1st, U20 Australian Championships cross country
2016: 4th, 5000 m 13:41.37, Australian Athletics Championships Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre Sydney New South Wales
2016: 20th, 5000 m 13:28, Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's 5000 metres Brazil
2017: 13th, 10000 m 29:19, 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championships – Senior men's race Kampala Uganda
2018: 4th, 5000 m 13:26.38 Australian Championships Gold Coast, Queensland

References

  1. ^ "Patrick Tiernan". Official Site of the 2016 Australian Olympic Team. Australian Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  2. ^ Patrick Tiernan Archived 26 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine. rio2016.com
  3. ^ a b c d e World Athletics. "Profile of Patrick Tiernan".
  4. ^ a b Gleeson, Michael (7 December 2020). "'I wasn't going home empty handed': Tiernan breaks Australian record". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  5. ^ Kissane, John A. "5 Minutes with Patrick Tiernan".
  6. ^ "2012 Gold Coast Airport Marathon". GoldCoast.com. 1 July 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  7. ^ "Patrick Tiernan - Men's Cross Country". Villanova University. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  8. ^ LetsRun.com. "Syracuse "Out-Colorado's" Colorado For NCAA Cross Crown as Edward Cheserek Makes History Look Easy". LetsRun.com. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  9. ^ LetsRun.comNovember 16. "2016 NCAA XC Men's Individual Preview: Edward Cheserek Looks To Close Out A Perfect Career at NCAA XC". LetsRun.com. Retrieved 9 November 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Kissane, John A. (17 November 2016). "NCAA Cross-Country Championships: 5 Things to Watch". Runner's World. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Postseason Awards Announced for 2016 NCAA DI Cross Country". U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Archived from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  12. ^ LetsRun.com. "Patrick Tiernan Stuns Edward Cheserek as NAU Wins First Crown to Send Coach Eric Heins Out On Top". LetsRun.com. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  13. ^ "Results: Men 5000 M (Final)". www.ncaa.com. 10 June 2016. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  14. ^ Toohey, Terry (5 August 2016). "Australians Tiernan, McEntee carry on Villanova's Olympic track legacy". The Times Herald. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  15. ^ "Peter Bol, Patrick Tiernan added to Australia's Olympic athletics squad". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 13 July 2016. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  16. ^ Gault, Jonathan. "NCAA Cross Country Champion Patrick Tiernan Signs With Nike". LetsRun.com. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  17. ^ "Tiernan and Bahta impress in Stanford | REPORT | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  18. ^ LetsRun.com. "The upsets continue: Mo Farah is beaten in men's 5,000 at Worlds, Muktar Edris dethrones the king". LetsRun.com. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  19. ^ Anderson, Curtis. "Australian Standout Tiernan off to Hot Start with OTC Elite". Oregon Track Club. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  20. ^ Salvado, John (7 March 2022). "Rayner breaks Australian 10,000m record | Commonwealth Games Australia". commonwealthgames.com.au. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  21. ^ Moorhouse, Lachlan. "Tiernan wins Vegas Gold Half Marathon and Ramsden qualifies for Tokyo". www.athletics.com.au. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  22. ^ "Hanna Green, Pat Tiernan win fast miles at Washington Indoor Invitational". www.DyeStat.com. 14 February 2021.
  23. ^ Australian Associated Press (30 July 2021). "'I'm no hero': Australian distance runner Patrick Tiernan drags himself across line". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  24. ^ "'Gutsy as hell': Amazing detail overlooked in Aussie moment 'that will stay with us forever'". Fox Sports. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  25. ^ Pflock, Denise (18 January 2022). "The RUN PUMA Family continues to expand its international roster with Liv Westphal, Pat Tiernan & Sondre Moen". PUMA CATch up. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  26. ^ "Half Marathon - men - senior - outdoor until 2023-11-09". worldathletics.org. Archived from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  27. ^ "Race Results - Patrick Tiernan". Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Archived from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  28. ^ Gunders, Peter (21 January 2024). "Australian marathon runners 'taking it to the rest of the world' ahead of Olympics". ABC News. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  29. ^ "TFRRS | Patrick Tiernan – Track and Field Results & Statistics". www.tfrrs.org. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Patrick Tiernan.
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