Local athlete Ellie Pashley takes us inside the Tokyo Olympic Games By Penny Edmanson
We were lucky enough this year to have our very own local participant in the Tokyo Olympics. Ellie Pashley, a resident of Aireys Inlet and physiotherapist in Torquay, took part in the women’s marathon, running a commendable 23rd out of 88 participants from 44 nations. Ellie always loved running but it wasn’t until 2015 that she transitioned from social running and cross-country events and started preparing for a marathon under the coaching of Julian Spence – another local. In late 2016 she ran her debut marathon in Melbourne. Fast forward to June of 2021 and she had been selected for her first Olympic Games. One of only three women to qualify for the team, Ellie credits Julian with her development from an okay runner to Olympic level. ‘Julian and his wife Bri were a huge help to me in the build-up. We spent a lot of time away training together in Queensland. They rode and ran all sessions with me and spent a long time away from home to help me prepare. Jules saw more of my training than he’d ever seen so it was probably a good learning experience for both of us.
Aireys Inlet resident Ellie Pashley raced in the Women’s Marathon in Tokyo this year.
‘He was also instrumental in setting up all of my heat acclimatisation work and ensuring I did it properly. His attention to detail is second to none, and I think this was extremely important with such a hot marathon where there are so many extra variables to consider. ‘He was back home for the last few weeks of my training but by then all of the hard work was done,’ said Ellie. A COVID impacted world meant a
very different Olympics from those that past athletes have experienced. During preparation and training Ellie was faced with a lack of racing opportunities, gym closures that meant she was unable to do her usual strength training and limited chances to train in a group. However, she considers herself fortunate compared to athletes in other sports as she could still run. ‘I have a very nice radius near my house for running so it really wasn’t too difficult.
‘I spent the last few months in Queensland adapting to the heat so we had a little more freedom up there for training.’
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The Japanese Olympic Committee had a huge number of measures in place to try and keep both the athletes and the Japanese public safe. This meant the team was in a form of lockdown even at the holding camp in Cairns, where they could train but were not allowed to go out to restaurants or have any contact with the public. They had daily COVID tests leading up to departure and once they arrived in Japan. Arriving at the airport in Tokyo involved five to six hours of processing and testing before they were even allowed into the country. NewsAngle | Publication of the Anglesea Community House | Community Houses are for Everyone
