Rose Davies (athletics) will make her Commonwealth Games debut at Birmingham 2022 competing in the women’s 5000m and 10000m double. Running from the age of 12, the precocious Newcastle talent boasted an 800m PB of 2:08 aged 14. An eye-catching 4:27.68 1500 at Glasgow 2014 trials brought Davies into the spotlight, despite regular tears on the start line due to the pressure under which she’d put herself. Five years on, Davies’ PBs remained unchanged; she watched Rio 2016 from home, thinking she’d never qualify for the Olympics. Sitting out the majority of 2017 and 2018 due to inflammation issues in her hip, Davies returned in late 2018 after seeing her old rivals competing strongly. Attempting her first race at the Australian 5000m Championships, Davies finished seventh (15:45.91), ranking her 11th in the nation. The low-pressure atmosphere came up roses for Davies, who won the prestigious Zatopek:10 in 2021 (31:39.97 PB, jumping from 50th to 7th on Australia’s all-time list), followed by an Olympic 5000m qualifier in the Netherlands (15:08.48 PB). Davies placed 18th in her heat at Tokyo. In 2022, Davies has recorded new PBs in the 3000m (8:49.86, Morocco), 5000m (15:07.49, Australian Championships) and 10,000m (31:18.54, California). Off the track, Davies is undertaking a Bachelor of Education at the University of Newcastle.