Hayley Kitching
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 September 2004 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | Middle-distance running |
Hayley Kitching (born 26 September 2004) is an Australian middle-distance runner.[1]
Early life
Kitching is from Coffs Harbour in New South Wales, and attended Coffs Harbour Senior College. She was the Australian national champion in the Under-18 Girls 800 metres, as well as New South Wales champion over 800m and 1500 metres, although her junior running was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. She later accepted a scholarship offer to study at Penn State University in the United States.[2][3][4]
Career
Kitching won the Australian U20 title over 800 metres in Sydney in March 2022.[5] She was subsequently selected for the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships, where she placed seventh over 800 metres in Cali, Colombia, in August 2022.[6][7]
In March 2024, Kitching placed fourth over 800 metres at the NCAA Indoor Championships.[8] In June, Kitching finished fifth over 800 metres at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships. In February 2025, Kitching signed a name, image and likeness (NIL) contract with Brooks Running.[9]
Kitching was selected to represent Australia at the 2025 Summer World University Games in Germany, where she was a semi-finalist in the 800 metres.[10][11]
Competing for Penn State in January 2026, Kitching broke Zoe Buckman's Australian 1000m indoor national record with a time of 2:38.45 at the Nittany Lion Challenge. The time also broke the NCAA collegiate record.[12] That month, she broke the school record for 800 metres indoors running 2:00.01 at the Penn State National Open.[13] The following month, Kitching broke the meet record for the 800 metres at the Washington Indoor Husky Classic, running 1:59.22 to finish ahead of Rosemary Longisa.[14][15] In February, Kitching also set a meet record of 2:00.55 in winning the 800 metres at the Big Ten Indoor Championships.[16] Competing on 13 March at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships, Kitching fell just before the bell of her 800 metres preliminary heat, and although she got up and ran a 28.42 final lap, the fastest of the day by more than a second, she was too far adrift to qualify for the final.[17]
Kitching was selected for the 800 metres at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Toruń, Poland, in March 2026. At the Championships in Toruń, Poland, she advanced to the final of the 800 m after running 2:00.99 in her heat and winning her semi-final in 2:00.06, before placing fifth in the final in 2:00.50.[18][19][20]
References
- ^ "Hayley Kitching". World Athletics. Retrieved 18 Jan 2026.
- ^ "Top Coffs Harbour athlete receives US college scholarship". newsofthearea.com.au. Retrieved 18 Jan 2026.
- ^ "SOMETHING IN THE WATER - COFFS KIDS' QUEST TO CONQUER". Athletics.com.au. Retrieved 18 Jan 2026.
- ^ "Coffs athletes win big at NSW Junior Track and Field Championships". newsofthearea.com.au. Retrieved 18 Jan 2026.
- ^ Lulham, Amanda (29 March 2022). "Australian track and field 2022: Charlie Jeffreson, Hayley Kitching, Bella Guthrie make Worlds team". Telegraph. Retrieved 18 Jan 2026.
- ^ "World Athletics U20 Championships". World Athletics. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 18 Jan 2026.
- ^ "Australia announces U20 team for Cali". World Athletics. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 18 Jan 2026.
- ^ "NCAA Division I Indoor Championships". World Athletics. 8 March 2024. Retrieved 18 Jan 2026.
- ^ "Hayley Kitching Signs NIL Deal with Brooks". Flotrack. 12 Feb 2025. Retrieved 18 Jan 2026.
- ^ "MOMENTUM BUILDS AS UNIROOS DELIVER STRONG SHOWING ON DAY THREE IN GERMANY". Athletics.com.au. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 18 Jan 2026.
- ^ "OLYMPIANS AND GLOBAL MEDALLISTS TO HEADLINE LARGEST EVER AUSTRALIAN UNIROOS ATHLETICS TEAM". Athletics.com.au. 16 May 2025. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "Penn State track and field's Hayley Kitching breaks 1000m record". psucollegian. Jan 17, 2026. Retrieved 15 Feb 2026.
- ^ "KITCHING AND ROBAN BREAK PROGRAM RECORDS ON DAY 1 OF PENN STATE NATIONAL OPEN". gopsusports.com. 30 Jan 2026. Retrieved 31 Jan 2026.
- ^ "HAYLEY KITCHING 1ST PLACE & BOH RITCHIE 5TH PLACE WOMEN'S 800M - WASHINGTON INDOOR HUSKY CLASSIC 2026". Dyestat. 14 Feb 2026. Retrieved 14 Feb 2026.
- ^ "HAYLEY KITCHING WINS FAST 800; TWO DEMPSEY RECORDS FALL AT HUSKY CLASSIC". Dyestat. 14 Feb 2026. Retrieved 15 Feb 2026.
- ^ "SILAN AYYILDIZ LEADS OREGON TO REPEAT BIG TEN INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP". DyeStat.com. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ Gault, Jonathan (March 14, 2026). "NCAA Indoor Championships Day 1: Colin Sahlman anchors NAU to DMR title, Habtom Samuel wins 5000 over Marco Langon". Lets Run. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ^ "Belgium makes world indoor history on day two in Kujawy Pomorze". World Athletics. 21 March 2026. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ Monti, David (20 March 2026). "BRUTAL MIDDLE DISTANCE QUALIFYING RACES ON FIRST DAY OF WORLD ATHLETICS INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS". Runnerspace. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "World Athletics Indoor Championships". World Athletics. 20 March 2026. Retrieved 25 March 2026.