Lachlan Chisholm

Category: Sporting Hall of Fame
Sport: Athletics
Year Inducted: 2000


"To be honest I started running because dad was a runner. He ran so we all ran." Lachlan Chisholm, 2013

Lachlan was born in Wagga Wagga on 4 May 1980.  He grew up nearby at The Rock and attended primary and secondary school there until Year 10, before transferring to Wagga Wagga Technology High School.

A runner from thetime he could walk, Lachlan joined Little Athletics as soon as he was allowed to, even though it meant competing against boys as much as two years older than him.  As a junior he also played Australian Rules, and his effort and skill in the game was recognised when he was awarded the Coach's Encouragement Award and the Best and Fairest award.  He also showed some promise as a junior rugby union player.  However, athletics and cross-country were his first love, and he decided that the possibility of injury and the time away from dedicated training ruled out football as a serious sport.

Lachlan's potential was first recognised in 1995, on the other side of the world. Whilst living in Oklahoma, U.S.A. for a short period, and attending Irving Middle School in Norman, Oklahoma, he was presented with the Track Award.

Back at The Rock Central School in 1996, where he was School Captain, Lachlan qualified at Localand Regional levels in cross-country, athletics and swimming. Injury prevented his competition at State level in cross-country, but he placed in both State athletics and the State All Schools (Moove Games). As a result, he was recognised by The Rock School as Athletics, Cross-country and Swimming champion, as well as Overall Sports Champion.  He also received the Pierre de Courbetin Award and the Caltex Medal for all round accomplishment in sport, academic and community effort.

The awards keptcoming in 1997.  Lachlan competedin cross-country and athletics at Local, Regional, State and National levels,with marked improvements at each meet. Wins at State and National levels in both cross-country and athletics, resulted in Lachlan winning School, Riverina and NSW Blues (firsts) in athletics.

A Select Few

Lachlan is one of a select few to win a NSW Blue in both athletics and cross-country in the same year.  He was also presented with the Riverina's Lorraine Wright Award dedicated to sportsmanship, perseverance, assistance to younger competitors and the ability to see the positive side in every situation.  He became a member of the Riverina Academy of Sport athletics squad, and was chosen by the Riverina Department of Sport to represent the region in the 1997 City to Surf.

At the 1998 Australia Day ceremony, the Lockhart Shire Council awarded Lachlan with a Special Achievement Award for outstanding performances in sport. A fourth place at the World Cross-Country trials earned him a place on the Australian Junior (U20s) squad to compete at the World Cross-Country Championships in Marrakesh, Morocco. The high heat and low humidity made conditions difficult, and Lachlan began suffering from heat exhaustion about half way through the race, but he persevered, and finished. Subsequently, he was chosen as a member of both the Oz Squad, and an initial member of the Australian Junior Cross-Country development squad.

True Champion Attitude

Despite setbacks of a viral infection and recurring bouts of tonsillitis, Lachlan began 1999 with wins at the NSW and National Athletics Championships. At the latter, he reduced his personal best for the 1500m by eight seconds, setting a new NSW record and ranking him second in the world for U20s 1500m in the process. He also qualified once again for the World Cross-Country meet held in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Lachlan ran a first and third at State and National Cross-Country Championships, but passed up the National Schools Cross-Country Championships in Darwin because of his HSC Trial exams.

As other athletes have discovered, it is difficult for an athlete to reach the pinnacle of performance away from the facilities, assistance and level of competition to be found in the major metropolitan centres. In Wagga Wagga, Lachlan did not have the benefit of other experienced runners to train with. Most of his major training was, and still is, done alone. He has had, however, his father David, who is a middle-distance coach and former international middle and long distance runner. Taking this relative isolation into account, Lachlan's achievements are all the more impressive, and are a strong indication of his focus, motivation and commitment to his sport.

Representation and Ranking

Lachlan has twice represented the Junior Squad at the World Cross-Country Championships (1999 – 2001), and like fellow Sporting Hall of Fame inductee, was employed for a time at Wagga's Workout Gym. In 2000 Lachlan began studies in Nutrition Dietetics at Charles Sturt University.

In 2004 Lachlan was ranked 60th in the world for the 1500m event. The disappointment of missing selection for the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2005 World Championships was eased by the back-to-back National Open 1500m titles that Lachlan won in 2005 and 2006.

In 2005 Lachlan was ranked 26th in the world, and in 2007 he gained 4th place in the '5th Avenue Mile' event in New York. After three years of struggling with injury, in 2011, Lachlan was once again ready to compete.

Today, Lachlan holds a Masters in Physiotherapy from The University of Sydney as well as a BSc in Exercise Science and Nutrition from Wollongong University.

One of Lachlan's favourite quotes is 'bid me run, and I will strive with things impossible.' (Shakespeare, Julius Caesar).