The Aussie Flash
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Jacob Despard is about to compete in his first Olympic Games. We find out what makes this 27-year-old the fastest man in Australia.
DNA: Congratulations on being selected to represent Australia at the 2024 Olympics. How does that feel?
Jacob Despard: Competing is a very big issue for me and something I’m taking on with both hands. I’ve worked hard for so many years to represent Australia at the Olympic Games.
You’re sprinting in the 4×100 metre relay with Sebastian Sultana, Calab Law and Josh Azzopardi. Are you all already mates? Yeah, we’ve been in the relay program for a few years now. Seb and Calab are a bit younger, but Josh and I have been members of the team for a while. We all get along quite well, and a great friendship has been built around the team. Josh and I first raced in 2018 and we both went to the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Afterwards, we travelled around Europe together, which was quite special.
Being your first Olympic Games, what are your expectations? Growing up, I always wanted to be an Olympian. It’s a childhood dream I’ve worked my whole life for. I’ve been to the Commonwealth Games and travelled the world racing, and now I’m looking forward to the pinnacle; the Olympics.
The Opening Ceremony in Paris will see 205 country delegations arrive by boat along the River Seine. Will you be there? I don’t think so because the athletics events take place in the second week. I’m very envious of those who are going. We get to go to the Closing Ceremony, which will be awesome.
Who are the athletes that inspire you? I used to play cricket, so I was drawn to guys on the team like Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee. Then, when I transitioned to track and field, Usain Bolt was on the rise, and everyone, including myself, jumped on his bandwagon. As I get older, I haven’t looked that much toward sporting idols. I concentrate on trying to become a better person myself.
Every Olympics, more athletes come out – Tom Daley, Ian Thorpe, Matthew Mitcham. Do you think we’ve reached a point where it’s become a non-issue? When I was younger, it was frowned upon in the football or cricket community. I’m now competing against people who I know are openly gay, and I don’t think it’s a big thing for them to come out and say it these days, especially in the sport I’m involved with. Athletics is a very accepting sport. We don’t see being gay as anything different.
Do you have gay mates or family members? Yes, I have gay friends from different areas of my life. My closest would be my content creator in Hobart, who does the majority of my social media reels. I also have a few gay friends from when I worked in hospitality. That was in my younger years, but I still catch up with them in Hobart.
Have you been out to a gay club? One night, after a work function, my mate and I ended up at a gay bar that was a lot of fun. I don’t think it’s open anymore. There was a big pole in the middle of the dancefloor and cages hanging from the roof.
Sounds like Hobart is doing it better than other cities! Did you get approached while there? Yeah, but I handled it respectfully while still having fun. It’s not the end of the world. I think some people can get a bit offended if they get approached.
What song will always get you on the dancefloor? Caribou Lou by Tech N9ne does it for me, but I’m a very energetic person so it’s not hard to get me up. I like to go out for a dance.
That makes sense considering you are officially the fastest man in Australia! [Laugh] Yes, I am at the moment. It’s based on time and online rankings. My family and friends are over the moon because I’ve been on this journey for 15 years. I have a little 12-yearold brother who’s one of my biggest fans.
Who is your music diva? I tend to go for old-school rock – bands like AC/DC and Cold Chisel. In terms of a diva, I’d have to go with Madonna.
Before competing, how do you get yourself “in the zone”? I try not to get caught up in zoning myself out, but I do a lot of visualisations, which prepares me with confidence. I’ve done a lot of work with mindset and getting the feeling that I belong in those big areas, which are the best in the world.
What advice do you give those dreaming of competing at the Olympics? Many years back, I’d tell people that my goal was to be an Olympian and a lot would laugh or tell me not many people achieved that. So, my advice is to keep believing in yourself, work hard and don’t let people tell you what you can and can’t do.
Apart from running, what else do you do to keep fit? Going to the gym is a big part of sprinting. I go two or three times a week. It’s quite a busy schedule. Many will say that gym is just as important as the sprinting aspect in making it to this level. I do lots of prehab stuff and see a physio to keep my body finely tuned. I need to treat it like a Ferrari!
What do you do at the gym? My program involves lots of Olympic lifts (snatch, clean and jerk) and very powerful explosive movements. I don’t necessarily try to build muscle mass but more to build some fast explosive power.
You’re an official ambassador for Bulk Nutrients. How do they fit it? Yes, I am! I’ve been with Bulk since 2013 and they’ve played an important role in my sporting journey. Bulk are Tasmanian owned and operated so I was happy to pair up with them. My favourite products are the Chocolate Whey Protein Isolate and the PRE101. They have a HASTA (Human And Supplement Testing Australia) approved range which is vital for drug-tested athletes.
Have you ever had a sporting wardrobe malfunction? The worst would be when I won the Stall Gift in 2018. I had on grey tights, and they were a bit revealing! People were sending my mum messages asking why I was wearing them. [Laughs]. It was on national television!
Will you be getting an Olympic tattoo? Yes, one hundred per cent! I’ll get the Olympic rings, not in colour but in plain ink and I’ll put it on my forearm. Currently, I don’t have any tattoos at all.
Do you have a grooming tip? Well, I shave my legs to race, and I’ve found it takes way too long. So, a hair removal cream is my tip. Men’s hair removal cream will give you nice smooth legs – and you’ll run fast!
On the beach are you briefs or boardies? I hate both. I don’t know why, but I just can’t handle either, so I wear sports shorts instead. Boardies give me the ick! It’s weird. And I don’t have the confidence to wear a speedos.
You’re underestimating yourself. Okay… briefs, boxers or free balling? Fitted boxers! They are comfortable and I also wear them when I race.
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