James Hansen probably shouldn't even be running, let alone breaking records. The Tasmanian has overcome a huge number of physical and emotional setbacks over the course of his career, yet continues to go from strength to strength. From battling severe anxiety whenever he faced the starters gun, to overcoming substance abuse problems and dealing with the disappointment of falling agonisingly short of a place in the Australian team at the Commonwealth Games in 2018, his mental toughness is admirable. 

There have been times when his body has failed him as well. James was heavily restricted by a bad back injury which left him barely able to walk for a period, let alone run. And just a year prior to breaking the Australian Parkrun record with a blistering time of 13:53, a blood clot was discovered on his brain which meant he had to take a break from doing what he loved.

Yet 2022 was the most successful year of his life. James smashed his PBs across a range of distances, won numerous big races and claimed a place in Australian Parkrun history as the first man to go under 14 minutes. His dream of making the Australian Olympic team for Paris 2024 is well and truly alive!