Josh Ross (sprinter) facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 February 1981 Sydney, New South Wales |
| Height | 185 cm |
| Weight | 83 kg |
| Sport | |
| Country |  Australia |
| Sport | Men's Athletics |
| Event(s) |
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| Coached by |
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| Achievements and titles | |
| World finals | 2005 Helsinki: 100 m – Semi finalist |
| National finals |
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| Olympic finals |
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| Personal best(s) | 28.08 seconds (2007 National Athletics Championships, Brisbane): Men's 100 m |
Joshua James Ross (born 9 February 1981) is an indigenous Australian track and field athlete. He is famous for being a sprinter. Josh Ross holds the record for winning the national 100-metre championship seven times. He also proudly represented Australia at the 2004 and 2012 Summer Olympics. Josh is the fourth fastest Australian ever in the 100m race. His best time is 10.08 seconds, which he achieved on 10 March 2007. Only Patrick Johnson (9.93s), Rohan Browning (10.01s), and Matt Shirvington (10.03s) have run faster.
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Early Life and First Steps in Athletics
Josh Ross was born on 9 February 1981 in Sydney, Australia. He spent his early childhood in the southwestern part of Sydney. When he was about seven years old, his family moved to the Central Coast.
He attended Woy Woy Public School and Henry Kendall High School. On the Central Coast, Josh joined Little Athletics. He won his first Australian title in the long jump when he was just 10 years old. After that, he didn't focus on athletics much until he was nineteen. During those years, he played rugby league for teams on the Central Coast.
A Sprinter's Journey: Career Highlights
Josh Ross quickly became well-known as a sprinter in 2003. He easily won the famous Stawell Gift race that year. In 2005, he won the Stawell Gift again. This time, he started from the scratch mark, which is the hardest starting position. This made him only the second athlete ever to win from scratch. He was also the first Australian to do so. He became the third person in history to win the event twice.
Olympic and World Championship Appearances
Josh reached the semi-finals at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. He also made it to the semi-finals at the 2005 World Championships. He was a key member of Australia's 4 × 100m relay team. This team finished sixth at the Athens Olympics in 2004.
Setting Records and National Titles
Josh holds the fastest 100m time by an Australian on home soil. His personal best is 10.08 seconds. He set this record in Brisbane on 10 March 2007. He also has a personal best time of 20.53 seconds in the 200m race.
He won four Australian national 100-metre titles in a row. As an Indigenous Australian, Josh was honored with the 2004 Deadly Award for Male Sportsperson of the Year.
Return to the Track
Josh won his fifth Australian national 100m title in March 2009. He then took a break from athletics. However, he returned to the sport and won his sixth national 100m title in 2012. His winning time was 10.23 seconds.
He was part of the Australian 4 × 100m relay team at the 2012 London Olympics. The team equaled the Australian record when they qualified for the finals.
In 2013, Josh achieved a "sprint double" at the Victorian Championships. He won both the men's open 100-metre and 200-metre finals. Later in 2013, he won his seventh national 100m title. This achievement tied the record set by Hec Hogan.
Challenges and Later Career
In late 2013, Josh faced a challenge related to anti-doping rules. This led to a temporary break from competing. He was unable to compete in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
In 2018, Josh competed in the Stawell Gift again. However, he did not advance past the first rounds.
Josh Ross is recognized by the Australian Olympic Committee as one of the Indigenous Australian Olympians.
