FACTOIDS
Full Name: Benita Jaye Willis
Nickname: Benita Johnson
Birthday: May 6, 1979
Height: 5’9”
Hometown: Mackay, Queensland
Sports: Track & Field
Benita’s Bird’s Eye View
Benita Jaye Willis also known as Benita Johnson was born on May 6, 1979 in Mackay, Queensland, and is a renowned Australian distance runner.
A Hesitant Benita
Benita had to give it some thought before she decided to concentrate on athletics. In 1996, she turned down an opportunity to run in the World Junior Athletics Championships. Benita was more interested in playing international junior hockey for Australia way back then.
Trading the Skates for Running Shoes
A couple of years after, though, Benita left hockey to accept a scholarship from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra. Benita attended the Australian Institute of Sport, eventually running in the World Junior Championships of 1998, where she garnered a promising 7th place in her favorite 1500m event. Benita is fast becoming Australia's greatest ever female middle distance runner.
Difficult Time Ahead
Benita’s decision to join and represent Australia in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games was a tough one. Her best time for the distance was reduced by over six seconds to a new PB of 4-07.05. However, Benita found that she was challenged for a berth in the Australian team by a surprising number of women.
The 1500m had been conventionally a scrawny event in Australia, three other women emerged victorious in the tough Olympic qualifying time, with Benita finishing automatic selection after placing fourth in the event.
After the initial disappointment, Benita entered the 5000m trial, to be held the following day. She won the race in her new personal best, gaining a coveted berth in the Olympic team. Lack of experience prevented her from making progress past the heat during the Sydney Games, in spite of her best effort to run a new personal best time.
More Trainings
Benita had improved in March 2001, after training and racing alongside Sonia O'Sullivan during the Australian domestic season. Her practice had not been futile, she continued performing impressively from her fast times at home with a great performance at the World Indoor Championships, running sixth in the 3000m.
In fact, her record time of 8-42.75 broke Donna Gould's long-standing national record, set outdoors, of 8-44.1 for the distance, despite the tight indoor tracks slowing the runners considerably.
Benita’s performance had been consistent as she placed sixth in the World Cross Country Championships, also held that month, the best result ever by an Australian woman.
Victory had been her cup of tea, with more of it coming later in 2001, with an Australian record over 5000m, a finals place in the World Championships 5000m, and a second place in the Goodwill Games 5000m.
