At just 23, Jaylah Hancock-Cameron has become one of Australia’s most consistent middle-distance runners: a quiet achiever thriving in the toughest era the event has ever seen. Fresh off victory in the NSW 3000m Championship, she’s balancing full-time work, long drives to training, and a growing list of supporters who believe in her journey.
Focusing on Herself
With personal bests of 2:01.22 for 800 m and 4:07.88 for 1500 m, Hancock-Cameron is a fixture in the top six at the Australian Championships. Yet in a generation defined by sub-4 minute stars like Jessica Hull, Linden Hall, Georgia Griffith, Sarah Billings and Abbey Caldwell, medals have been elusive. She sits 23rd on the Australian all-time list with a mark that would have won medals, if not titles, in any other era.
“It’s really just been about focusing on myself and my own outcomes rather than how everyone else is going,” she says. “Everything’s been improving a little bit each year — it’s mainly about focusing on my weaknesses and building from there.”
That patient approach paid off again at the beginning of November when she claimed the NSW 3000m Championship in 9:09.97, controlling the race from the front to secure one of the most convincing wins of her career.
“We were hoping for the low nine-minute mark,” she said, anticipating that national cross country champion Bronte Oates (7th) may have pushed the pace early.
“Ideally it would’ve been nice to go a bit quicker, but I was happy to hold that pace and feel comfortable. It shows there’s definitely more there.”
A Late Start, A Quick Learner
Unlike many of her rivals, Hancock-Cameron didn’t grow up in Little Athletics.
“I actually started just before I turned 14,” she says. “I never did Little A’s… I played netball and only got into running through school cross country.”
Once she began structured training, her progression was rapid. Initially focusing on the 800 m where she ran 2:10 as a 14-year-old she improved to 2:05.96 and 4:11.93 over 1500m as a junior. She’s lowered her personal bests to 2:01 and 4:07 in the four years since while also recently recording solid performances over cross country (she was 8th this year in Ballarat) and on the roads.
A solid base phase in the Australian winter augurs another improvement.
“We’ve increased my mileage from around 70–80 km to about 90–100 km a week. It’s about building the fitness first, then adding speed.”
That new aerobic base helped her surprise herself at Run Prix in September, clocking 33:34 for 10 km behind Victoria’s Donve Viljoen.
“It was just meant to be a hard hit-out,” she laughs. “I didn’t expect that time.”
Training on Grass and Grit
Life on the NSW South Coast means doing things differently.
“We’ve got about ten people in the group, and we train on an AFL-Cricket oval most of the time,” she explains. “The grounds aren’t pristine, but they do the job.”
Under the guidance of coach Andae Kalemusic, Hancock-Cameron has learned to make the most of limited facilities. Canberra is two hours away; Sydney, more than four; and Melbourne, close to nine (although she prefers to drive the whole way, than drive and fly).
“It doesn’t feel long now… anything beats those long-haul flights,” she said.
Bankstown Backing
Despite the travel required, Hancock-Cameron races frequently, having toed the line 24 times so far in 2025 (excluding heats). Representing Bankstown Sports Athletics Club has given Hancock-Cameron vital support since joining them in 2018.
“My coach knew Colin and Matt [Whitebread] from the club,” she says. “The club has been great — very supportive and they help financially when they can. That makes a big difference when you live so far away.”
Her next outing on Bankstown’s home track of The Crest will likely be the Albie Thomas Mile just before Christmas, a fixture she enjoys for its strong fields and fast conditions, even if it comes early in the season this year (the recent edition was held in February 2025, where she placed third).
Learning Abroad
The past few years have taken Hancock-Cameron far beyond the South Coast. She’s raced in the UK as part of Australia’s U23 touring team and spent a month competing in the United States earlier this year.
“The first year overseas was about getting comfortable racing away from home,” she recalls. “By the second year we were travelling every few days — it really takes it out of you. America was different again: everything’s bigger, more intense, more social media-driven.”
“Each trip has been a good learning experience. You see how different countries approach racing.”
Balancing Work and Training
Away from the track, Hancock-Cameron works full-time in hospitality at a local golf club, managing bar work and supervising staff.
“At first it was hard to juggle both,” she says. “But once I got into a routine it smoothed itself out.”
Her employers have gone above and beyond, even helping cover her travel expenses for international races.
“They’ve been amazing. Not many workplaces do that… I’m really thankful.”
The balance keeps her grounded.
“Running’s a big part of my life, but it’s not the only part,” she says.
The Talow Connection
One of Hancock-Cameron’s proudest off-track partnerships is with Talow Athletic, the Sydney-based women’s athletics brand founded by Kirsti Boothroyd, mother of up-and-coming 800m runner Ivy. She featured in a recent Talow campaign celebrating female athletes from different disciplines.
“It was such a good experience,” she says. “Kirsti’s created something special — a women-only brand just for athletics. Most sportswear brands are built around team sports, so it’s cool to be part of something that focuses on us.”
She also represents Musashi, receiving recovery and nutrition products: practical support for her daily grind.
Still, when it comes to shoes, she’s independent.
“I don’t have a shoe sponsor at this stage,” she says. “It’s all pretty much self-funded.”
That independence reflects her resourcefulness: a working athlete doing everything possible to compete with full-time professionals.
Eyes on the Podium
The upcoming domestic season offers new opportunities. If it’s on the meet’s program, Hancock-Cameron will again race the 3000 m at Zatopek in December before shifting focus to the 1500m for the remainder of the season.
“My main goal is to win a national medal in the 1500 m and get as close as possible to the Commonwealth Games qualifier, which is 4:01.5,” she says. “Last season I ran 4:07, so we’ll just keep chipping away.”
“You just need everything to align perfectly for a fast one — the right race, pacing, weather, everything,” she adds. “It doesn’t happen often here, but it’s possible.”
A Quiet Contender
In an era of global-class rivals, Hancock-Cameron represents the next wave — talented, grounded, and relentlessly improving. She’s proof that success doesn’t always come from the biggest sponsors or the flashiest facilities, but from persistence and love of the sport.
“I feel like it’s all coming together,” she says, smiling. “I just want to keep building and see how far I can go.”
Australian Top List – 1500m
At 1 November 2025 (current athletes competing over 1500m only)
| Rank | Time | Athlete | Venue | Year |
| 1 | 3:50.83 | Jess Hull | Paris | 2024 |
| 2 | 3:56.39 | Linden Hall | Chorzow | 2025 |
| 3 | 3:58.25 | Georgia Griffith | Budapest | 2025 |
| 4 | 3:29.24 | Sarah Billings | Rome | 2025 |
| 5 | 3:59.32 | Abbey Caldwell | Rome | 2025 |
| 8 | 4:02.96 | Claudia Hollingsworth | Melbourne | 2024 |
| 10 | 4:03.79 | Lauren Ryan | Pfungstadt | 2025 |
| 11 | 4:04.51 | Maudie Skyring | Pfungstadt | 2025 |
| 16 | 4:06.33 | Rose Davies | Lignano | 2024 |
| 21 | 4:07.05 | Klara Dess | Dublin | 2025 |
| 23 | 4:07.88 | Jaylah Hancock-Cameron | Perth | 2025 |
