James Preston

EVENT: Athletics: Men's 800m

Wellington’s James Preston is a middle-distance runner specializing in the 800m. He first made his mark on the global stage when setting a New Zealand U20 record at the 2016 World U20 Championships in Poland, running 1:48.06.

In 2019, Preston finished sixth in the 800m at the World University Games in Naples. He claimed his first national senior 800m title in 2021 and ran a personal best of 1:45.30 in Germany in 2022. In 2024 he set a New Zealand indoor record of 1:47.59 at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

Preston’s crowning achievement came when he broke Sir Peter Snell’s 62-year-old national 800m record with a time of 1:44.04 at the Merck Running Festival in Germany, securing his spot for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Preston balances his athletics career with his work as an engineer and is coached by Evan Cooper.