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Michael Roeger

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Michael Roeger
2016 Australian Paralympic team portrait of Roeger
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (1988-05-14) 14 May 1988 (age 36)
Adelaide, South Australia
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight61 kg (134 lb)
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportParalympic athletics
Medal record
Para-athletics
Paralympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2024 Paris 1500m – T46
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio de Janeiro 1500m – T46
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2019 London Marathon – T46
Silver medal – second place 2019 Dubai 1500m – T46
Silver medal – second place 2023 Paris 1500m – T46
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Lyon 1500m – T46
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Lyon 5000m – T46
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Doha 1500m – T46
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Kobe 1500m – T46

Michael Roeger (born 14 May 1988) is an Australian T46 athletics competitor. He competed at the 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024 Summer Paralympics in [1] athletics in middle distance and marathon running events. He has won one gold, one silver and four bronze medals at the World Para Athletics Championships and a silver and bronze medal at the Paralympics.[2][3] His gold in the Men's T46 marathon at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships was held as part of the London Marathon, set a new world record.[4]

In 2024, he is the holds the world record in the Men's 1500m T46 with a time of 3:36.51 set in 2017.[5][1]

Personal

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Roeger was born on 14 May 1988,[6] and is from Langhorne Creek ,[7][8] South Australia.[9] He has a twin brother Chris.[10] He is missing the lower half of his right arm.[7][8][11] He played junior football at the Langhorne Creek Football Club.[7] Growing up, he played basketball, table tennis and cricket.[7] He moved away from there and to Canberra in 2009.[11] In 2012, he was a student at the University of Canberra working on a Bachelor of Communications in Advertising and Marketing.[11]

Athletics

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Roeger is a T46 classified athlete, competing in 800 metres,1,500 metres and 5,000 metre events.[7][8][11] He is a member of the Adelaide area Hills District Athletic Club.[8] In 2008, when in Adelaide, he trained with Pete Davis and Marc Fairhead.[8] He has held an athletics scholarship with the Australian Institute of Sport.[11] He started competing in athletics in 1999 when he competed for his high school's cross country team.[8]

At the 2008 Victorian Country Championships, Roeger set a Paralympic A qualifying time of 4:02.04 in the 1500 metres.[8] At the time, this was the second best time ever set in the world.[8] He also set qualifying times in the 800 metres and 5,000 metres.[8] As a twenty-year-old, he represented Australia at the 2008 Summer Paralympics.[7][8] He did not earn a medal at the Games.[7][11] He set a personal best time in the 1,500 metre event,[7] finishing in eighth place,[12] and came 11th place in the final of the 5,000 metres. He did not make the finals in the 800 metre event.[13] He was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in athletics in the 800 metres event.[6][9][11][14][15] His Paralympic training included five gym sessions a week with a focus on leg strength.[11] He competed in the Men's 800 m T46 at the 2012 London and but did not medal.[16]

Roeger at the 2012 London Paralympics

At the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France, he won bronze medals in the Men's 1500m and Men's 5000m T46 events.[17][18]

In 2014, Roeger ran almost a five-second 1500 m personal best (3 minutes 51.08 seconds) on 20 March 2014 at the Victorian Milers Club. His time qualified him for the 2014 Australian Athletics Championships.[19][10] His time was just short of the world record, 3:50.2 and the second best time in his class.[10] At the Australian Championships, he took on his coach Philo Saunders, who is a physiologist at the Australian Institute of Sport.[17][10] Also in 2014, he was part of the Australian Sports Commission team that represented Australia at the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge in London, England.[20]

Roeger at the 2012 London Paralympics

During the Athletics Australia 2014/15 season, he reduced his personal best for the 1500m to 3:50.61.[21] He qualified for the Australian Athletics Championships in Brisbane, Queensland Open 1500m and ran in the heats.[22]

In June 2015 in Boston, United States, Roeger ran 3:48.55 to break the Men's 1500 m T46 world record but it was not ratified as no drug test was available.[23]

At the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, he won the bronze medal in the Men's 1500 m T46. After the event, Roeger said "A bronze medal is a bronze medal, I wanted more from myself today but the legs weren't there in the last lap. It's a stepping stone for Rio. This makes me so hungry for gold. It's my dream and it's been my dream for a long time. It's about taking the positives away from this and building on them for next year".[24]

On 12 June 2016, Roeger ran 3:49.08 in the Men's 1500m at the Portland Track Festival to break the Men's 1500m T46 world record. The record was not ratified even though drug testing was undertaken.[25][26]

At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, he won the bronze medal in the Men's 1500 m T46.[3]

Australian athletes Michael Roeger (left) and Jaryd Clifford after the medal presentations for the marathon at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

On 4 February 2017 at the inaugural Sydney Invitational, Roeger smashed the T46 1500m world record of 3:50.15 by running 3:46.51. Roeger had previously beaten the world record time but previous times were in unsanctioned events.[27]

Roeger was selected to compete at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London, England but withdrew just prior to the competition due to injury.[28]

On 14 October 2018, in his debut marathon, he finished sixth in the Melbourne Marathon. His time 2:23.31 broke the previous world record of 2:26.44 but it was not ratified. After the race Roeger said "I’m over the moon to get the world record and finish on the MCG. It has been 10 years of work really, it is the third world record in the year, it is a pretty special feeling."[29]

At the 2019 London Marathon which was also the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships marathon event, he won the Men's T46 in world record time of 2:22:51 breaking the ratified world record of 2:26.44.[4] After originally being disqualified, he was awarded the silver medal in the Men's 1500 m at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai. His time was 3m:51.99.[30]

Roeger finished 6th in the Men's Marathon T46 at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, his fourth Paralympics.[31][32] Roeger went into the event as favourite but a stress fracture in his leg in the month leading up to the Games led to a compromised, preparation and training load coming into Tokyo.[33]

At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Roeger competed in the Marathon T46 where he finished sixth.[34]

Roeger was forced to switch back to the 1500m after the marathon was omitted from the 2024 Paris Paralympics program. In returning to the 1500m, on 24 June 2023 he set a world best time of 3:44.83 at a track meet in Portland, Oregon. The time that beat his current world record will not be ratified as the meet was not sanctioned.[35] At the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships, he won the silver medal in the Men's 1500m T46 in a time of 3:53.89.[36]

In the lead up to the 2024 Tokyo Paralympics in Paris, Roeger won the bronze medal at in the Men's 1500m T46 at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe. His time was 3:50.45. At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, he moved to the 1500m T46 as the marathon was not on the program. He won the silver medal in a time of 3:51.19 after leading most of the race.[37]

Roeger leading the final of 1500m T46 at Paris Paralympics

In 2024, he has a scholarship with the South Australian Institute of Sport and trains at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.[38]

1500m progression

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Distance Time /
Distance 		Location Date
1500m 3:51.08 Melbourne 20 March 2014
1500m 3:50.61 Sydney 19 March 2015
1500m 3:48.55 Boston June 2015
1500m 3:49.08 Portland 12 June 2016
1500m 3:46.51
Ratified World Record[5]		 Sydney 4 February 2017
1500m 3:45.63[39] Sydney 17 March 2018
1500m 3:44.83 [35] Portland 24 June 2023

5000m progression

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Distance Time /
Distance 		Location Date
5000m 14:14.91
WR[40]		 Canberra 11 March 2016
5000m 14:06.56
WR[41]		 Gold Coast, Queensland 15 February 2018
5000m 14.00.25 WR[42]
Sydney 13 March 2021

10000m progression

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Distance Time /
Distance 		Location Date
10000m 29:24.19
WR		 Melbourne 13 December 2018

Marathon progression

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Distance Time /
Distance 		Location Date
Marathon 2:23.31
[29]		 Melbourne 14 October 2018
Marathon 2:22:51 WR London 28 April 2019[4]
Marathon 2:19.33 WR Houston 19 January 2020
Marathon 2:18:53 WR Sydney 25 April 2021

Recognition

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Experience And Youth Combine For Paris Games | Paralympics Australia". www.paralympic.org.au. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Australian Paralympic Athletics Team announced". Australian Paralympic Committee News, 2 August 2016. 2 August 2016. Archived from the original on 9 April 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Michael Roeger". Rio Paralympics Official site. Archived from the original on 22 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  4. ^ a b c "Michael Roeger unstoppable on London Marathon debut". International Paralympic Committee website. Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b "@michaelroeger's WORLD RECORD T46 1500m has been ratified by the @Paralympics!". Athletics Australia twitter. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Michael Roeger". Australia: Australian Paralympic Committee. 2012. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Michael Simmons (25 September 2008). "Roeger does Langhorne Creek proud in Beijing". Victor Harbor Times. Retrieved 8 July 2012.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Michael Simmons (2 July 2008). "From the Creek to Beijing". Victor Harbor Times. Retrieved 9 July 2012.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ a b Chris Dutton (6 June 2012). "Canberra's Paralympic athletes aim for Games glory". Australian Capital Territory: Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  10. ^ a b c d Wilson, Chris (1 April 2014). "Paralympic runner Michael Roeger taking on coach at national athletics championships". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 23 September 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h Comino, Kristyn. "Michael prepares for Paralympic performance". University of Canberra. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  12. ^ McGrath, Olivia (11 September 2008). "Porter delivers golden Aussie highlight –". ABC Local — Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  13. ^ Olivia McGrath (15 September 2008). "Cowdrey, O'Hanlon lead medal haul". ABC Local — Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 29 October 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  14. ^ "Australian Paralympic Team Announced". Athletics ACT. 6 June 2012. Archived from the original on 29 November 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  15. ^ "Walters sprints for London — Teenager set for Paralympics debut". Canberra Times. Canberra, Australia. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  16. ^ "Michael Roeger". Paralympic.org. International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  17. ^ a b "Roeger wins bronze at Para champs". SBS News. 20 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  18. ^ "IPC13: Ballard wins third SILVER". Athletics Australia News. 26 July 2013. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  19. ^ "VMC Meet 5 – 20th March 2014" (PDF). Victorian Milers Club website. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  20. ^ Page, Fleta (19 January 2014). "Australian Sports Commission represent Australia in JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge". Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 9 September 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  21. ^ "Allcomers 19 March 2015 – 19/03/2015 to 20/03/2015" (PDF). Athletics NSW website. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  22. ^ "Australian Championships – Day 2 results". Athletics Australia website. Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  23. ^ Athletics Australia [@AthsAust] (14 June 2015). "run in #Boston smashing the T46 1500m WORLD RECORD!time: 3:48.55" (Tweet). Retrieved 15 June 2015 – via Twitter.
  24. ^ "Doha 2015". Athletics Australia News. 23 October 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  25. ^ "@michaelroeger is that 3:49.08 today". David Tarbotton twitter. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  26. ^ "Portland Track Festival – Men's 1500m results". Portland Track website. Archived from the original on 15 June 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  27. ^ "Sydney Invitational smashes records". Athletics NSW website. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  28. ^ Ryner, Sascha. "A silver lining for Australia". Athletics Australia News, 16 July 2017. Archived from the original on 24 July 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  29. ^ a b "Record runs by Roeger and Diver in Melbourne Marathon". Athletics Australia website. Archived from the original on 14 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  30. ^ "Roeger Finally Gets His Silver Medal". Athletics Australia. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  31. ^ "Para-athletics Stars Perris and Turner Secure Their Paralympic Passage to Tokyo". Paralympics Australia. 17 April 2021. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  32. ^ "Athletics – Final Results". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  33. ^ "Michael Roeger does us proud in Tokyo…but the hunt for gold continues". South Australian Sports Institute. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  34. ^ "Australian Paralympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  35. ^ a b "Global gold in sight for Roeger with worlds best in hand". Athletics Australia. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  36. ^ "Silver Squared | Henly hits the headlines as Roeger's quest continues". Athletics Australia. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  37. ^ "Australian Athletics Results". athletics.possumbility.com. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  38. ^ Institute, South Australian Sports (18 December 2023). "Our Athletes". South Australian Sports Institute. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  39. ^ Aubrey, Jane. "World Records for Clifford, Roeger, as Day posts a 100m PB in Sydney". Athletics Australia website. Archived from the original on 18 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  40. ^ "World record for Roeger as Mitchell and Wells post London qualifiers". Athletics Australia website. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  41. ^ "#AthleticsGold: McDonald steams to 5000m victory on day one". Athletics Australia website. Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  42. ^ "History made at Sydney Track Classic". Athletics Australia website. 13 March 2021. Archived from the original on 13 March 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  43. ^ Gaskin, Lee (24 October 2014). "Canberra runner Michael Roeger named national men's para-athlete of the year". Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  44. ^ "2015 Blues and Leadership Awards". UC Life! website. Retrieved 11 February 2016.[permanent dead link]
  45. ^ "nominees for the 2015 Athlete of the Year Awards". Athletics Australia website. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  46. ^ Winchester, Bree (15 December 2016). "Meet the Cosmopolitan Bachelor of the Year Canberra finalist". Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  47. ^ Kelly, Ben (6 February 2017). "Michael Roeger awarded Strathalbyn's 2017 Young Citizen of the Year award". Victor Harbour Times. Archived from the original on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  48. ^ "Michael Roeger is Allianz Athlete of the Month". Inyternational Paralympic Committee website. 10 May 2019. Archived from the original on 10 May 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
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