Rose Davies on the long road and long year

Trailing by half a lap in the opening Diamond League of the season, Rose Davies thought it was going to be a long year. She was right in the best way possible.

Declaring herself as nowhere after the Australian domestic season, the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) athlete was actually in Keqiao, China getting ragdolled by the world’s best middle-distance women.

The two-time Olympian slumped to 14^th place of the 5000m in a time of 14:53.28, hardly making it out of the back straight by the time race winner Faith Kipyegon had started her celebrations.

“I had no confidence. I didn’t even think I was going to make the Commonwealth Games,” Davies says. “All I was thinking was that it was going to be a tough season.”

It’s the only finish time that Davies recalls from her season, because it’s the only race that she had times on her mind.

From that moment on, it was all about racing.

“What I’ve learned is that if you are just in the race, the times will come,” Davies says. “No one remembers what time you ran. I don’t even know what times I ran at the Commonwealth Games, but I know that I won.”

Spoiler alert: Davies won the Commonwealth Games. Twice.

A 10,000m masterclass saw the Newcastle product deliver Australia’s first gold medal on the opening night of the program, igniting a historic campaign at Glasgow’s Scotstoun Stadium.

Lightning struck twice when Davies returned to win the 5000m days later, fending off a world-class challenge from teammate Jessica Hull (NSWIS) in the final straight.

“I set a silent goal to win a medal in Glasgow. In my head, that was best case scenario, but the way I won the 10,000m just gave me so much confidence,” Davies says.

“I kind of just moved on with my season afterwards and then I got home and everyone was congratulating me. That made what I achieved feel more real and made me really proud of myself.”

Davies ran 31:39.32 and 14:44.53, by the way.

A return to the world stage over 5000m saw her claim fourth place at the Diamond League Final in Brussels and sixth place at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.

The final test came at the World Athletics Road Running Championships, where Davies navigated the streets of Copenhagen like a car with its fuel light begging it to stop.

She did stop, but not until she had won her first global medal – bronze in the 5km. The cherry on top.

“It was one of the hardest races I’ve done in my whole life,” Davies says.

“It took so much effort just to stay in the race and I had to give it my absolute all. The conditions were so tough and it was so windy.

“I just remember thinking that I’ve raced these girls all year and there’s no reason why I can’t get a medal.”

To go with Davies’ bronze medal was a new Australian 5km road record of 14:50 to carve nine seconds off Benita Willis’ mark set in 2002, complementing her already existing 5000m and 10,000m national records – the only times that matter.

Coached by Scott Westcott, who she says answers the phone regardless of time zones, Davies finishes the year as the world number seven over 5000m – already counting down the days until the 2027 World Championships in Beijing and 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

After a hard-earned break, of course.

“I’m not running at the moment but obviously I’m keen to keep building on this,” Davies says.

“This year has shown me what I can do and I want to keep making the most of the opportunities that come my way.”

Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics