A 28-year-old Indigenous man from South Australia will join NRL legend Johnathan Thurston and AFL star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin at the New York City Marathon this weekend. Jack Atkinson, a Wiradjuri, Yorta Yorta and Bangerang man, took up running just six months ago and has been selected for the 12-person Indigenous Marathon Foundation team from over 320 applicants.
Atkinson, who has overcome addiction in the past, said running has helped him set goals and move forward in life. He completed a gruelling 30-kilometre qualifying run in Alice Springs to earn his spot. Despite working ten-hour days, six days a week, and balancing training with family life, Atkinson said the thought of his 19-month-old daughter propels him forward during tough runs.
Atkinson will be joined at the start line by Thurston and Franklin, who have been sharing their stories with the squad. IMF head coach Jack Stevens said the presence of the two sporting champions has been a highlight for the team, many of whom come from remote communities. Stevens noted that Atkinson has battled a stress fracture during training but emphasised that selection is about community impact, not just athletic ability.
This will be Atkinson's first trip overseas, and he hopes to become one of the estimated 1 per cent of people worldwide to complete a marathon. After the race, he plans to establish a running club in his hometown of Condobolin, New South Wales, to discover potential marathon runners in the community.
