{{short description|Australian decathlete}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2018}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Ash Moloney | image = GOTZ0077 moloney (48038930073).jpg | caption = Moloney in 2019 | full_name = Ashley Moloney | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|2000|03|13}} | birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | height = 193 cm | weight = | country = {{flagicon|Australia}} Australia | sport = Athletics | event = Decathlon, Heptathlon | club = | coach = Steve Rippon | pb = Decathlon: 8,649 '''{{AthAbbr|AR|Oceanian}}''' '''{{AthAbbr|NR|Australian}}''' <br> Heptathlon: 6,344 '''{{AthAbbr|AR|Oceanian}}''' '''{{AthAbbr|NR|Australian}}''' | medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Men's track and field}} {{Medal|Country|{{AUS}}}} {{Medal|Competition|Olympic Games}} {{Medal|Bronze|2020 Tokyo|Decathlon}} {{Medal|Competition|World Indoor Championships}} {{Medal|Bronze|2022 Belgrade|Heptathlon}} {{Medal|Competition|World Junior Championships}} {{Medal|Gold|2018 Tampere|Decathlon}} {{Medal|Competition| Oceania Athletics Championships }} {{Medal|Gold|2024 Suva|Decathlon}} }}
'''Ashley Moloney''' (born 13 March 2000) is an Australian decathlete.<ref name="iaafprofile">{{cite web |url=https://worldathletics.org/athletes/australia/ashley-moloney-14673644 |title=Ashley MOLONEY |website=worldathletics.org |access-date=5 August 2021}}</ref> He won bronze at the 2020 Olympic Games, the first Australian to win an Olympic medal in the decathlon.
== Early life == Moloney attended school in Browns Plains, a suburb in Logan Qld. Moloney was the fastest at primary school and enjoyed the crowd that gathered when he broke school high jump records. He competed in jumps, triple/high/pole and sprints for his school, region and state.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Ash Moloney |url=https://www.olympics.com.au/olympians/ash-moloney/ |access-date=8 October 2021 |website=Australian Olympic Committee |language=en-AU}}</ref> In 2015, aged 15, he won the Australian All Schools U16 high jump title with a leap of 2.00 metres. Moloney competed in his first combined event on just two weeks of training.{{cn|date=December 2021}}
Moloney's coach, Eric Brown, believed that Moloney could make the Olympics as a decathlete with a lot of hard work. In early 2016, in his second competition, he won the national U18 title, just days after he turned 16. In September 2016, he tallied 7328 with a sub-11 100m, 14+ metres in the shot, sub-14 hurdles, 4.60m vault and 4:50 1500m.<ref name=":0" />
== Achievements ==
In 2017 Moloney broke the U18 Australian Decathlon Points Record <ref>{{cite web |url=http://athletics.com.au/Portals/56/AustRec-2018-May%20v2.pdf |title=Athletics Australia - Records |website=athletics.com.au |access-date=15 July 2018}}</ref> previously held by Jake Stein.
He won the gold medal at the 2018 World Junior Championships in Tampere.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/6082/AT-1500-M-u--0--.RS2.pdf?v=47951309 |title=Tampere 2018 Results |website=media.aws.iaaf.org |access-date=13 July 2018}}</ref> In achieving this result, Moloney broke the Competition Record, previously held by Niklas Kaul, and the Oceania Junior Record previously held by Cedric Dubler.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://athletics.com.au/News/moloney-and-haasbroek-gold-and-silver-in-tampere2018-day-2-evening-session |title=Moloney and Haasbroek Gold and Silver in Tampere |website=athletics.com.au |access-date=15 July 2018}}</ref> At the mid-2019 Oceania Championships, while still a teenager, Moloney scored 8103 points with the senior implements, raising the prospect of qualifying for the 2020 Olympics. Although injury in early 2020 threatened Ash's Olympic dream, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Tokyo Olympics to be postponed and Moloney and his training partner Dubler were able to qualify for them at the end of 2020. In doing so Moloney broke the Australian senior and Oceanian records for the Decathlon, increasing Jagan Hames's previous records by 2 points to 8492 points.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/report/ash-moloney-decathlon-brisbane |title=Moloney breaks Oceania decathlon record with 8492 in Brisbane |website=worldathletics.org |access-date=19 March 2022}}</ref>
In winning bronze at the 2020 Olympic Games, the first Australian decathlete to medal at an Olympics, he further improved the Oceanian and Australian record to 8649 points.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 August 2021 |title=Ashley Moloney secures Australia's first Olympic decathlon medal with bronze in Tokyo |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-05/tokyo-olympics-ashley-moloney-claims-decathlon-bronze/100354740 |url-status=live |access-date=7 August 2021 |website=abc.net.au |language=en-AU |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805133447/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-05/tokyo-olympics-ashley-moloney-claims-decathlon-bronze/100354740 |archive-date=5 August 2021}}</ref> Needing to complete the final 1500m event within several seconds of his closest points competitors, or better, the efforts of Ashley's fellow Australian decathlete Cedric Dubler to motivate him in the final stages of this race were lauded by the Australian and even world media as one of the most memorable moments of the Tokyo Olympics.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 August 2021 |title=Tokyo Olympics: Seven moments that moved us |url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/tokyo-2020/tokyo-olympics-seven-moments-that-moved-us-including-peter-bol-simone-biles-ariarne-titmus-boomers-more-c-3627141 |access-date=9 August 2021 |website=abc.net.au |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=8 August 2021 |title=Tokyo delivered, and reminded us what really matters |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/tokyo-olympics-2021/comment-tokyo-2020-has-delivered-the-great-big-f-yeah-australia-needed/news-story/c725a940afc0331cc23dbbeff5d59b7e |access-date=9 August 2021 |website=Fox Sports |language=en-AU}}</ref>
Moloney competed in the 2022 World Indoor Athletics Championships in the Men's Heptathlon where he finished the first day's competition in third place with 3,551 points. He finished in 3rd place with 6344 points, an Oceania Area Record and the highest third place tally ever for an indoor heptathlon.<ref>{{cite web | title=Summary: Men's Heptathlon World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade 2022 | date=March 20, 2022 | url=https://www.watchathletics.com/page/2968/summary-men-s-heptathlon-world-athletics-indoor-championships-belgrade-2022 | work=worldathletics.com }}</ref>
Moloney was unable to finish the decathlon at the 2024 Summer Olympics after suffering an adductur injury during the long jump.<ref>{{cite web | last=Nag | first=Utathya | title=Injury ends Australian decathlon star Ash Moloney’s Paris 2024 Olympics campaign prematurely | date=August 2, 2024 | url=https://www.olympics.com/en/news/paris-2024-olympics-australia-decathlon-ash-moloney-withdraw-injury | work=olympics.com }}</ref> In 2026, he began to focus on the 400m hurdles.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Team |first=TrackAthletes |title=The Countdown is on |url=https://www.trackathletes.ie/articles/adelaide-international/ |access-date=2026-04-11 |website=Track Athletes |language=en}}</ref> He placed third in the 400 m hurdles at the Australian Championships on 12 April 2026, finishing behind Kyle Bennett and national champion Matthew Hunt.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.athletics.com.au/news/gout-breaks-world-record-as-hull-returns-to-throne-on-final-day-of-australian-athletics-championships/|website=Athletics.com.au|accessdate=12 April 2026|title= GOUT BREAKS WORLD RECORD AS HULL RETURNS TO THRONE ON FINAL DAY OF AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS|date=12 April 2026}}</ref>
==Personal bests== '''Outdoor''' {{updated|19 June 2025}} {| class="wikitable" |- ! Event ! Performance ! Location ! Date ! Points |-bgcolor=#ccffcc | '''Decathlon''' | {{n/a}} | align=center | Tokyo | align=right | 4–5 August 2021 | align=center | 8,649 points |- | 100 metres | align=right | 10.34 (+0.2 m/s) | align=center | Tokyo | align=right | 4 August 2021 | align=center | 1,013 points |- | Long jump | align=right | {{T&Fcalc|7.77}} (+0.5 m/s) | align=center | Brisbane | align=right | 16 December 2023 | align=center | 1,002 points |- | Shot put | align=right | {{T&Fcalc|15.20}} | align=center | Götzis | align=right | 27 May 2023 | align=center | 802 points |- |High Jump | align=right | {{T&Fcalc|2.11}} | align=center | Brisbane | align=right | 19 December 2020 | align=right | 915 points |- | 400 metres | align=right | 45.82 | align=center | Brisbane | align=right | 19 December 2020 | align=center | 1,017 points |- | 110 metres hurdles | align=right | 14.08 (-1.0 m/s) | align=center | Tokyo | align=right | 5 August 2021 | align=center | 964 points |- | Discus throw | align=right | {{T&Fcalc|46.80}} | align=center | Suva | align=right | 3 June 2024 | align=center | 804 points |- | Pole vault | align=right | {{T&Fcalc|5.05}} | align=center | Cairns | align=right | 18 July, 2021 | align=center | 926 points |- | Javelin throw | align=right | {{T&Fcalc|57.77}} | align=center | Brisbane | align=right | 20 December 2020 | align=center | 704 points |- | 1500 metres | align=right | 4:39.19 | align=center | Tokyo | align=right | 5 August 2021 | align=center | 685 points |- | colspan=4 align=right | '''Virtual Best Performance''' | align=right bgcolor=#cffcff | 8,832 points |}
'''Indoor''' {{updated|19 June 2025}} {| class="wikitable" |- ! Event ! Performance ! Location ! Date ! Points |-bgcolor=#ccffcc | '''Heptathlon''' | {{n/a}} | align=center | Belgrade | align=right | 18–19 March 2022 | align=center | 6,344 points |- | 60 metres | align=right | 6.70 | align=center | Belgrade | align=right | 18 March 2022 | align=center | 992 points |- | Long jump | align=right | {{T&Fcalc|7.82}} | align=center | Belgrade | align=right | 18 March 2022 | align=center | 1,015 points |- | Shot put | align=right | {{T&Fcalc|13.89}} | align=center | Belgrade | align=right | 18 March 2022 | align=center | 758 points |- | High Jump | align=right | {{T&Fcalc|2.02}} | align=center | Belgrade | align=right | 18 March 2022 | align=center | 822 points |- | 60 metres hurdles | align=right | 7.88 | align=center | Belgrade | align=right | 19 March 2022 | align=center | 1,012 points |- | Pole vault | align=right | {{T&Fcalc|5.10}} | align=center | Belgrade | align=right | 19 March 2022 | align=center | 941 points |- | 1000 metres | align=right | 2:43.01 | align=center | Belgrade | align=right | 19 March 2022 | align=center | 840 points |- | colspan=4 align=right | '''Virtual Best Performance''' | align=center bgcolor=#cffcff | 6,344 points |}
==International competition record== {| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes|Result=yes|NotesOff=yes}} |- !colspan="7"|Representing {{flag|Australia}} |- |rowspan=2|2018 |rowspan=2|World Junior Championships |rowspan=2|Tampere, Finland | style="background:gold;"| 1st |Decathlon (Junior) |8190 '''CR, AJR''' |- |7th |{{nowrap|4 × 400 m}} relay |3:09:31 |- | rowspan=2 | 2019 |Hypo-Meeting |Götzis, Austria |13th |Decathlon |8038 |- |Oceania Championships |Townsville, Australia | style="background:Gold;"| 1st |Decathlon |8103 |- |2021 |Olympic Games |Tokyo, Japan |bgcolor=cc9966| 3rd |Decathlon |8649 |- |rowspan=2|2022 |World Indoor Championships |Belgrade, Serbia |bgcolor=cc9966| 3rd |Heptathlon |6344 |- |World Championships |Eugene, United States | – |Decathlon |DNF |- |rowspan=2|2023 |Hypo-Meeting |Götzis, Austria | – |Decathlon |DNF |- |World Championships |Budapest, Hungary | — |Decathlon |DNF |- |2024 |Olympic Games |Paris, France | – |Decathlon |DNF |}
==Personal life== Moloney joined the Jimboomba Little Athletics Club when he was 12 years old.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McLennan |first=Matt |date=5 August 2021 |title='He was always a good jumper' - tributes to Ash Moloney begin |url=https://www.redlandcitybulletin.com.au/story/7373696/he-was-always-a-good-jumper-tributes-to-ash-moloney-begin/ |access-date=1 September 2021 |work=Redland City Bulletin |language=en-AU}}</ref> He hails from Logan in Southeast Queensland. He attended Regents Park State School and Browns Plains State High School.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ash Moloney's decathlon bronze medal at Tokyo Olympics just the beginning for 21-year-old star, coach says |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-06/tokyo-olympic-games-ash-moloney-decathlon-bronze-cedric-dubler/100357204 |work=ABC News |date=6 August 2021 |accessdate=9 August 2021 |first=Paul |last=Kennedy}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=How an Origin great helped our bronzed Olympian Ash |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/sport/how-an-origin-great-trevor-gillmeister-helped-our-bronzed-olympian-ashley-moloney/news-story/f5fa3f9bc94f371058dbb127fe04fdc8 |work=Courier Mail |date=6 August 2021 |accessdate=9 August 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{World Athletics|name=Ashley Moloney}} * [https://www.athletics.com.au/athlete/ashley-moloney/ Ashley Moloney] at Australian Athletics * [https://athletics.possumbility.com/athletes/athlete7469.htm Ashley Moloney] at Australian Athletics Historical Results * {{AOC profile|ash-moloney|Ash Moloney}} * {{Olympics.com|ashley-moloney|Ashley Moloney}} * {{Olympedia|name=Ashley Moloney}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20241007092009/https://www.olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/ashley-moloney_1939730 Ashley Moloney] at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics (archived, [https://paris2024.rtve.es/es/paris-2024/atleta/ashley-moloney_1939730 alternate link])
{{s-start}} {{s-ach|rec}} {{succession box|before= Niklas Kaul|title=IAAF U20 World Championships Competition Record|years=11 July 2018 – present|after=''Incumbent''}} {{succession box|before= Cedric Dubler|title=Oceanian Junior Decathlon|years=11 July 2018 – present|after=''Incumbent''}} {{succession box|before= Jake Stein|title=Australia U18 Decathlon|years=30 March 2017 – present|after=''Incumbent''}} {{s-end}}
{{Footer Australia NC Decathlon Men}} {{Footer World Junior Champions men's decathlon}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moloney, Ashley}} Category:2000 births Category:Living people Category:Australian decathletes Category:Olympic decathletes Category:Olympic athletes for Australia Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Australia Category:Olympic bronze medalists in athletics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics Category:World Athletics U20 Championships winners Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships medalists Category:Australian Athletics Championships winners