Michael Roeger: Going for Gold

SA's Michael Roeger is about to compete in his fourth Paralympic Games. He will run the Tokyo Paralympics Marathon on Sunday, September 5. Image: Getty Images.

He has World Records, World Championship titles and a Paralympic Bronze, but Michael Roeger has his eyes firmly set on stepping to the top of the podium in Tokyo.

In his fourth Paralympics, Michael will close out the 2020 Games with the Marathon on Sunday, September 5, and he knows Australia, SA and in particular the town of Langhorne Creek will be cheering him on.

The SA T46 (single below or above elbow amputation) runner relocated to live and train in Canberra about 10 years ago, but the support from home is as strong as ever, with the Langhorne Creek Football Club sending him a signed guernsey ahead of his flight to Tokyo.

“With my event being the marathon, I do feel like one of the few lucky ones to be running with a crowd along the streets of Tokyo, but it is a shame that I can’t have family and friends with me,” he said.  

“Throughout those 42.2km I know that Australia, my family and everyone in Langhorne Creek will be cheering for me.

“I hope that I can bring back a Gold souvenir to Langhorne Creek, but I know that they are proud of me regardless.”

Michael's home football club, Langhorne Creek will be hosting a viewing party on Sunday to cheer Michael over the line.

“I wouldn’t be who I am today without my childhood and the support that the community had on me, I am so fortunate to grow up there because nobody treated as though I had a disability,” he said.

“To them I was the same as the guy on the next paddock, I was just Michael.”

Heading into the T46 Marathon, Michael has been touted as a favourite to take home the Gold, but all he is hoping for is to run his own race and simply do his best.

While his career resume is already stacked with World-class experiences and accolades – having held World Records in the T46 1500m and Marathon events – the 33-year-old said his desire was to win a maiden Paralympics Gold medal.

“I have an ok CV but there is one thing missing and that’s the Gold medal,” he said.

“I would give everything back for a Gold medal, it would mean the world to me, but whether I end up with that Gold medal in the cabinet or not, it’s not going to define me as a person or an athlete.

“If I’m out there doing my best I’ll be happy, but just know, I won’t give up until I’ve exhausted everything.”

A successful middle-distance runner, Michael switched to the Marathon after the 2016 Paralympics, despite having just claimed a Bronze medal in the Rio T46 1500m event.

“Going in as the T46 1500m World Record holder in Rio, we had the one result we wanted and we didn’t get it which was a hard pill to swallow,” he said.

“Going into Tokyo five years on it’s the same feeling, I am putting all my eggs in one basket with the Marathon and I want to get it right and leave Tokyo with no regrets.

“It’s a Marathon and anything can happen so I hope I can get through it and do the country proud.”

Reflecting on his previous three Paralympic pursuits was an exercise of pride for Michael.

“Each Paralympics experience has been very different,” he said.

“Going to Beijing in 2008 as a 20-year-old, and fast forwarding to Tokyo, it’s a complete different feeling.

“I have all that experience now and I have also changed from the 1500m and 5000m events to the Marathon.

“Winning Bronze in the 1500m in Rio 2016 was very special, even though I went in as the World Record holder and was hoping to have finished a couple of places higher.

“Knowing all that, now, I have a sole focus with the Marathon and winning Gold.”

Even though he’s entering into a Covid-affected Games, events such as the opening and closing ceremonies and the excitement of the athlete’s village wasn’t high on Michael’s priority list anyway.

“Being in my fourth Games I am going in with a ‘just business’ attitude, none of the other stuff matters to me,” he said.

“I am going in to do my race, focus solely on my event and none of those external things that are going on.

“I remember my first Games being very exciting and overwhelming, and there was even some of that in Rio – I went to the opening ceremony and ate in the dining hall with the rest of the team, but in Tokyo it’s go in, race, get the result and get out.”

He hoped his experience would not only help in the lead up, but also be valuable when it comes time to compete.

“Physically, I am five years better than I was in Rio, I have 7000km in my legs from the last four years, which is great preparation,” he said.

Michael broke his own T46 Marathon World Record in Sydney in April, running 2h:18m.

“All the physical capabilities are there, there have been challenges, there could be more challenges ahead, but hopefully I’m right to go on the day,” he said.

While a Paralympic Gold won’t define him, he said being a Paralympian was a special honour.

“Every time you put that Australian kit on you feel like Superman,” he said.

“I hope I can have those powers in the Marathon on Sunday.

“Being able to represent the Paralympic community and pulling on the Aussie singlet is very special and something I don’t take lightly.

“If I inspire one kid out there, that’s awesome and that’s why I do it.”

Michael said his running career was far from over, already hinting his intentions compete in Paris 2024, but he did admit to being challenged by the 2020 Games postponement.

“It was a tough thing to overcome for me mentally,” he said.

“I had run 2h:19m in the Houston Marathon in early 2020, my fitness was there, my form was there, I felt I had the field covered, everything was on track for a really good 2020 so when the Games got cancelled it was tough.

“It’s exhausting training for a Marathon anyway so to add another 12 months to my timeframe was challenging.”

Now with his event just seven days away, all of that concern is behind him.

“I am in good form, I am confident, if everything goes right on the day, I am sure that we can get the result we want,” he said.

“As a kid in Langhorne Creek all I wanted to do was stand on top of the podium and sing the national anthem – this will be my fourth time trying and hopefully it happens, but it’s a marathon and anything can happen.

“I will do my best and it won’t be through lack of trying.”

With his first love AFL, Michael grew up with the dream of playing for the Adelaide Crows like his idols Andrew McLeod and Tony Modra, but said it was a blessing when athletics found him.  

“Once I realised that wasn’t going to play AFL, as many kids do, I gravitated to what I was pretty good at and I was always good at running,” he said.

“Australian Paralympian Neil Fuller came to our school when I was in Year 6 and told me about the Paralympics and that sparked something in me – ever since then I wanted to represent Australia.

“Growing up in the country you don’t know a lot about running and athletics – I used to run around the vineyards in Langhorne Creek – so I am so thankful for the Hills Districts Athletics Club, Athletics SA and my early coaches, such as Graham Davis and Roger Pedrick, for taking me under their wing.

“Here I am all these years later, going for Gold.”

By Josh Teakle