Australian sporting legend Jana Pittman has embarked on a life-saving second career, proving that some dreams are merely deferred, not denied. The dual Olympian, who once captivated the nation on the track, is now halfway through training to become an obstetrician and gynaecologist, fulfilling a childhood ambition that was put on hold for elite sport.
An Olympic Dream Interrupted
Pittman's sporting resume is the stuff of legend. She first competed at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games as a year 12 student, finishing fifth in the 400m. She repeated that result at the Athens 2004 Games. Her athletic versatility was further showcased when she made a stunning switch to bobsleigh, competing at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Yet, beneath the surface of this elite athlete was a young girl who always wanted to be a doctor. "That was my sort of plan as a kid," Pittman, now 43, recalls. "I got beautifully distracted by sports."
The pivotal moment came at age 30, following her retirement from elite competition and a narrow miss for a third Olympic team, largely due to injury. "I needed something big to change," she said. With her athletics chapter closed, her mother suggested she sit the medical entrance exam.
The Path to Medicine: A Test of Resilience
Pittman's journey into medicine mirrored the perseverance required in sport. She did not succeed on her first attempt at the entrance exam. Undeterred, she waited 12 months, tried again, and was successful. "It kind of felt like destiny," she said of that second chance.
When she began her studies, she was one of only six students in a cohort of 120 who were aged 30 or older. She received her doctor's qualification in 2019 and is currently on a rural rotation in Port Macquarie, nearly halfway through her six-year specialist training.
Her focus is now firmly on women's health, a passion she nurtured even during her medical studies by assisting in birth units in her spare time. "I knew birthing was where I wanted to go," said Pittman, who is also a mother of six.
No Regrets, Only Lessons
Pittman stands by her decision to pursue sport first, even without an Olympic gold medal. "I'm not someone that has regrets, to be honest," she stated. "Every one of those bad decisions led to something else that was extraordinary."
She is refreshingly candid about her fears and failures, using them to connect with others. "Sometimes it's nice to look at someone, like myself, who has done a fair few things in life and realise that I fail, I flop, I cry, I binge on chocolate at times, and then I get up and I go again," she shared.
This authentic message is one she now spreads through public speaking, including at the upcoming 21st International Women's Day Illawarra luncheon on March 6. Her core mantra is simple yet powerful: it's never too late to chase your dreams.
From the starting blocks of Sydney to the delivery suites of regional hospitals, Jana Pittman's story is a profound testament to reinvention, resilience, and the enduring power of a childhood dream.
