A treasured member of the True family, Riley Day is an Australian sprinter with an impressive sporting career. At only 22 years old, Riley has already represented Australia at the Olympic Games, World Championships and Commonwealth Games, with no signs of slowing down just yet.
Riley grew up on a cattle farm Southwest of Brisbane alongside her parents, brother, nans and dog. Her athletics career began at 10 years old; however, she was always an active kid growing up, participating in soccer, netball, touch football, swimming, dancing and cross country. Despite the fierce competition from all other sports, athletics won Riley’s heart, and she claims it was always the sport for her, committing to it solely at the age of 16.
In 2017 Riley was selected for her first senior international team for the world championships in London. Seeing and experiencing the atmosphere in the stadium at only 17 years old was a defining moment for Riley, and it was here that she realised she wanted to make this her career.
Riley’s success can be attributed to her strong work ethic and determination. Competing in an individual sport, Riley understands that there is nowhere to hide, and her performance reflects her hard work. The satisfaction of crossing the line, having had a good performance or seeing a PB is the reward that drives her to keep going.
Riley’s work ethic is evidenced in her journey to the Olympic Games. After being selected in March 2021, Riley vowed to herself that she would do everything possible to achieve her desired result. Riley left no stone unturned in doing so and put 110% into every training session.
Making it to the 200m semi-final at the Tokyo Olympic Games is one of Riley’s greatest achievements thus far. With Covid restrictions in place, it was like no other major championship she had ever competed in; however, she still describes it as an incredible experience.
Riley’s success, however, has not come easy, and she has had to overcome various injuries and anxiety throughout her career. Surrounding herself with a strong support system outside of the sport and seeking help from psychologists, coaches and physios have helped Riley conquer these challenges and become the best version of herself.
Riley’s consistency and dedication are applied in her training and all aspects of her life. As well as training full-time, Riley is also completing a Bachelor of Business majoring in Marketing and Sports Management which she is scheduled to complete in 2023. Riley thrives off her busy lifestyle and a typical day on the track is as follows:
7am wake up
8am physio
8:30am track session
10:30am ice bath recovery
11am post track gym
11:30am massage
12:30pm lunch
2:30-4pm nap
4:30pm sauna
6:30pm dinner
Acknowledging the importance of fuelling her body with food, Riley understands nutrition plays a significant role in aiding recovery and making progress alongside a demanding training schedule. Riley particularly loves True’s WPI90, Electrolytes and Protein Bars and uses them prior to, during and after training to help her recover.
The best is still yet to come for Riley, with the Australian domestic season starting in early 2023. From there, she will race in Japan and Europe and then hopes to qualify for the World Championships in August 2023. Graduating from University is also on the cards for next year, so there are exciting times ahead for the 22-year-old.
Follow Riley’s journey on Instagram: @_rileyday
