Get to know Rebecca Henderson
- Age: 22
- Degree: Doctor of Medicine future student
- Sport: Racewalking
- Event/Category: Women's 20km Race Walk
- Olympic History: Tokyo 2020 (38th position); Paris 2024 (31st in Women's 20km Race Walk; 22nd in Mixed Race Walk Team)
Mixed Race Walk Team - Club: Melbourne Mentone Athletics
Rebecca's story
Now a two-time Olympian, Rebecca Henderson had never planned on racewalking. She stumbled upon it after watching her cousin’s race one weekend and finding the sport fun. By the age of 14, she was already finishing 10km at an impressive time of 53.44.
Bec first made her international debut in the 2018 World Race Walking Teams Championship and climbed her way up to her first-ever appearance at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo for the 20km racewalking event where she finished 38th, clocking in 1:38.21. She has constantly improved her timing since then, narrowly missing a place on the podium, finishing in 4th place at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games in the 10km racewalk event.
At Paris 2024, she accompanied Jemima Montag in the 20km Race Walk once again after Tokyo. She is also joining her compatriot at the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences after accepting her offer to the Doctor of Medicine.
The racewalker also competed in the Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay. Partnered with Declan Tingay, Bec had helped Australia qualify a second team for the introductory event by finishing 16th at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Turkey in April.