18 Facts About Madeline Heiner

Madeline Heiner was born on 15 May 1987 and is an Australian runner.

Madeline Heiner placed fourth in the women's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Madeline Heiner represented Australia in the 2015 IAAF World Championships, 2017 IAAF World Championships and the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Madeline Heiner took up running seriously in 2002; as a 17-year-old, she represented Australia in the 1500 metres at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Grosseto, but was eliminated in the heats.

Madeline Heiner competed in the World Cross Country Championships again in 2006, this time placing 18th in the junior race, but missed the IAAF World Junior Championships later that year due to an injury.

Madeline Heiner studied pharmacy and did not return to the track after recovering from the injury.

Madeline Heiner joined the training group of coach Adam Didyk; her first race back was in January 2014, after a hiatus of almost eight years.

Madeline Heiner's times improved rapidly, and she met her initial goal of qualifying for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow; she represented Australia in the 3000 metres steeplechase, placing fourth in a personal best 9:34.01.

Madeline Heiner became Australian senior champion for the first time in 2015, winning the 5000 metres title; the race was held at the Sydney Track Classic rather than as part of the main championship meet, and Heiner placed second behind Kenya's Magdalene Masai but was the top Australian in 15:21.09.

Madeline Heiner was briefly the 2015 world leader in the 3000 m steeplechase after winning at the Melbourne Track Classic in a personal best 9:31.03.

Madeline Heiner improved her times further at the Diamond League meetings in Doha and Rome ; the latter time ranked her second behind Donna MacFarlane on the Australian all-time list.

Madeline Heiner was selected for the 2015 World Championships in both the steeplechase and the 5000 metres.

Madeline Heiner was selected for the 2016 Summer Olympics in both the 3000 m steeplechase and the 5000 metres.

Madeline Heiner placed seventh in the steeplechase final with a personal best of 9:20:38 and tenth in the 5000m final with a personal best of 15:04.05.

In 2017, Madeline Heiner moved away from the steeplechase towards the 10,000m.

Madeline Heiner ran 31.41 to qualify for the IAAF World Championships, where she represented Australia in both the 5000m and 10,000m.

In 2018, despite struggling with injury, Madeline Heiner was selected for her second Commonwealth Games, this time in the 5000m and 10,000m.

Madeline Heiner's long lasted hamstring injury required surgery, and was finally operated in March 2019 by surgeons Lasse Lempainen and Sakari Orava, in Turku, Finland.