Zatopek:10 Results: Seth O’Donnell and Lauren Ryan Claim 2025 Australian 10,000m Titles

MELBOURNE (17 December) — Seth O’Donnell broke the 28-minute barrier to capture the Australian 10,000m championship at Zatopek:10 on December 13, 2025, at Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne.

The Victorian athlete crossed the finish line in 27:59.65, winning by more than 10 seconds in a race that saw several lead changes before he pulled away from the field.

Edward Marks finished second in 28:09.85, while Jack Rayner claimed bronze with a time of 28:15.73. The top three athletes separated themselves from the rest of the field early in the race.

Seth O’Donnell Praises Competitors

O’Donnell acknowledged the difficulty of his victory despite the convincing margin. He credited support from competitors for helping him achieve the sub-28-minute performance.

Read More: How Much Prize Money Is Being Offered For The Marathon Project 2025?

“I don’t know if I deserve it, but I appreciate all the help out there. It definitely helped me get over the line in under 28 minutes, because I was really hurting,” O’Donnell said.

The race featured Olympic runner Stewart McSweyn, who withdrew from the competition with approximately 10 laps remaining. Before stepping off the track, McSweyn encouraged O’Donnell during the race.

“I have a lot of respect for Stewy [McSweyn], he’s one of the best our sport has seen. He came up on my shoulder when I was starting to feel the pinch, and he told me it was my race to win. He is an unreal runner but an unreal person as well, without him I would have struggled today,” O’Donnell said.

The national champion reflected on a challenging year despite his success. He mentioned dealing with multiple injuries throughout 2025.

“I’ve had something like eight bone stress injuries in the last eight months. As much as I have been successful in winning the national title and representing Australia for the first time, I have also had a really tough year,” O’Donnell said.

Lauren Ryan Takes Women’s Crown

Meanwhile, Lauren Ryan dominated the women’s 10,000m final to secure her second national championship at the distance. The Olympic athlete made her decisive move with 300 meters left in the race.

Ryan finished in 32:06.66, pulling away from the lead group in the closing stages. Her winning time gave her a clear victory over the field.

Leanne Pompeani took second place in 32:13.58, finishing seven seconds behind Ryan. Bronte Oates rounded out the podium with a third-place time of 33:08.53.

The women’s race featured steady pacing through most of the 25 laps before Ryan’s late surge decided the outcome. Pompeani held on for silver after maintaining contact with the leaders throughout.

Both championships were contested at Lakeside Stadium under the Zatopek:10 banner, continuing the event’s tradition of crowning Australia’s best distance runners.

Zatopek:10 Results

Women’s 10,000 Metres Final

1. Lauren RYAN (AUS) – 32:06.66
2. Leanne POMPEANI (AUS) – 32:13.58
3. Bronte OATES (AUS) – 33:08.53
4. Ellie PASHLEY (AUS) – 33:14.52
5. Kate HOLLAND-SMITH (AUS) – 34:44.77
6. Isobel HUME (AUS) – 34:49.52
7. Tiana CETTA (AUS) – 34:55.44
8. Breanna GOLUB (AUS) – 35:27.19
9. Donve VILJOEN (AUS) – 35:27.66
10. Saskia LLOYD (AUS) – 35:42.02 OC. Georgie GRGEC (NZL) – 32:10.28 OC. Karen BLANEY (IRL) – 34:54.38

Men’s 10,000 Metres Final

1. Seth O’DONNELL (AUS) – 27:59.65
2. Edward MARKS (AUS) – 28:09.85
3. Jack RAYNER (AUS) – 28:15.73
4. Sam CLIFFORD (AUS) – 28:36.42
5. Zachary FACIONI (AUS) – 28:39.85
6. Adam GODDARD (AUS) – 28:44.44
7. Adrian POTTER (AUS) – 29:18.27
8. Liam BOUDIN (AUS) – 29:20.86
9. Matthew BUCKELL (AUS) – 29:35.25
10. Jacob COCKS (AUS) – 29:46.85
11. Thomas BOWERS (AUS) – 29:48.52
12. Tim FISK (AUS) – 29:50.26
13. Bailey MURZECKI-HINCE (AUS) – 30:36.15
14. Sebastian ASHER (AUS) – 30:45.28
15. Joshua PHILLIPS (AUS) – 30:52.04
16. DNF. Stewart MCSWEYN (AUS)

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