While her achievements on the track have earned global recognition, it was her heartfelt post-race comments at the Paris Olympics that captured the hearts of Australians. Her passionate encouragement for girls to stay involved in sport – not necessarily to become champions, but for the confidence, belonging and leadership it fosters – was hailed as “one of the best post-race interviews of the Olympics.”
Alongside studying medicine at the University of Melbourne, Jemima is deeply committed to creating positive social change. She founded the Play On campaign to remove barriers to physical activity for adolescent girls. The initiative has reached thousands of Victorian girls through important conversations around women’s health, body image, nutrition, confidence and creating inclusive sporting environments.
Raised in Melbourne, Jemima grew up participating in almost every sport imaginable before discovering race walking and representing Australia for the first time at the 2015 World Youth Championships. Her achievements include three consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medals (2018, 2022 and 2026), silver at the 2023 World Athletics Championships and dual bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Beyond medals, Jemima’s mission is to create a lasting impact through sport and inspire more young people to experience everything it has to offer.
Thank-you Jemima for sitting with me and sharing.
Enjoy the episode
Luv Kate
OH! And if you are listening for the first time! This is your introduction (required reading). This series is unedited, raw and just gets straight into it. You have been warned!
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