Jana Pittman

Jana Pittman is an Australian sporting icon. Throughout her athletic career she achieved so much: two world champs victories in the 400m hurdles in 2003 and 2007, anyone? She won gold at the ‘02 and ’06 Commonwealth Games in the same event and was also part of Australia’s winning 4×400 metres relay teams at both Comms. In fact, she is one of only nine athletes (along with Valerie Adams, Usain Bolt and the like) to win world championships at the youth, junior, and senior levels of an athletic event.

Then there was her post-athletic bobsleigh adventure, where she helped Australia to its best-ever two-woman showing at a Winter Olympics. Her move across to one of sport’s most helter-skelter pastimes made her the first Australian female athlete to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

However, Pittman will tell you her ambassadorial role for Beyond Blue is right up there with the heights she scaled as a world-famous track star. She is lending her support to Diamond Guild Australia, which has launched a limited-edition pendant entitled “Hope Will Catch The Tears”, in support of, yes, Australian mental health charity Beyond Blue ...

A passionate advocate for mental health who has been personally affected by depression and the loss of close friends, Pittman recognises the importance of increasing awareness, opening doors to conversations and fundraising for Beyond Blue.

Inside Sport was lucky enough to steal a few moments in Pittman’s hectic life to find out what else she’s been up to – and whether those ultra-competitive vibes have followed her into her post-racing career.

So, what are you up to these days, Jana? It will be Dr Pittman soon, won’t it?

My final exams are in a few weeks. I’m very nervous. You never feel prepared enough in medicine because exams are on everything; the whole degree. I’m hoping to be an obstetrician/gynaecologist. That’s the