{{short description|Australian athletics competitor}} {{Use British English|date=May 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Genevieve Gregson | image = Genevieve Gregson (cropped).jpg | caption = Gregson in 2019 | nickname = Greg | national_team = {{AUS}} | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1989|8|4}} | birth_place = Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia<ref name=":0"/> | height = 1.68 m | weight = 54 kg (2018) | sport = Athletics | event = 3000 metres steeplechase<br/>1500 metres<br/>Marathon | education = University of Florida | collegeteam = Florida Gators | coach = Nic Bideau | olympics = {{ubl |'''2021 Tokyo''' |3,000 m, steeplechase, DNF |'''2024 Paris''' |Marathon, 24th }} | pb = {{ubl |'''Track''' |'''2000 m steeplechase''': 6:09:48 (Berlin 2016) |'''3000 m steeplechase''': 9:14:28 '''{{AthAbbr|AR| Oceanian}}''' (Paris 2016) |'''Road''' |'''Marathon''': 2:23:08 (Valencia 2023) }} | medaltemplates = }}
'''Genevieve Gregson''' (née '''LaCaze'''; born 4 August 1989) is an Australian athletics competitor who specialized in the 3000 metre steeplechase but for the 2024 Olympics qualified for and ran for Australia in the marathon.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gleeson |first1=Michael |title='I never felt safe': Selection fight overshadows Gregson's remarkable switch from steeplechase to Olympic marathon |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/athletics/i-never-felt-safe-selection-fight-overshadows-gregson-s-remarkable-switch-from-steeplechase-to-olympic-marathon-20240603-p5jiub.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=3 June 2024 |language=en}}</ref> She qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held in 2021 and ran 9:26.11 in her Women's 3000m steeplechase heat to qualify for the final. She fell, rupturing her Achilles tendon, and was unable to complete the race.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Athletics GREGSON Genevieve |work=Tokyo 2020 Olympics |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1481464-gregson-genevieve.htm |access-date=25 September 2021 |language=en-us |archive-date=25 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925001304/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1481464-gregson-genevieve.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref>
She is the AR and National record holder in the event with a PB of 9.14.28. She held an athletics scholarship at the University of Florida. She was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
==Early and personal life== Genevieve LaCaze-Gregson, whose nickname is Greg, spent her childhood in Brisbane,<ref name=sourciermail/><ref name=shouldmiss/> where she attended Tamborine Mountain State School<ref name=aoc/> before going to high school at the John Paul College in Daisy Hill.<ref name=sourciermail/><ref name=morefromqld/><ref name=gators/> She is from Queensland.<ref name=sourciermail>{{cite web |last=Murdoch |first=Alex |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/london-olympics/setting-an-olympic-qualifying-time-two-days-after-the-deadline-may-rule-genevieve-lacaze-out-of-london-olympics/story-fn9di2lk-1226395948562 |title=Setting an Olympic qualifying time two days after the deadline may rule Genevieve LaCaze out of London Olympics |publisher=The Courier-Mail |date=15 June 2012 |access-date=4 July 2012}}</ref><ref name=morefromqld>{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/london-olympics/steeplechaser-genevieve-lacazes-dashed-olympic-dream-comes-true/story-fn9dheyx-1226397364762 |title=Steeplechaser Genevieve LaCaze's dashed Olympic dream comes true |author1=Kay Dibben |author2=Scott Gullan |publisher=Herald Sun |location=Melbourne |date=17 June 2012 |access-date=4 July 2012}}</ref><ref name=gators>{{cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/trackfield/women/bios.php?year=2012&player_id=91 |title=Gator Women's Track & Field Roster/Bios |publisher=GatorZone.com |access-date=4 July 2012 |archive-date=2 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502131949/http://www.gatorzone.com/trackfield/women/bios.php?year=2012&player_id=91 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She attended the University of Florida,<ref name=sourciermail/><ref name=shouldmiss/><ref name=gators/> where she majored in Social and Behavioral Sciences<ref name=aoc/><ref name=gators/> from 2009 to 2012.<ref name=gators/> {{As of|2012}}, she lives in the United States.<ref name=aoc/><ref name=heraldsunny/>
{{As of|2012}}, LaCaze-Gregson is {{convert|164|cm}} tall and weighs {{convert|53|kg}}.<ref name=aoc/>
==Athletics== thumb|Gregson in 2019 LaCaze competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase event<ref name=aoc/><ref name=sourciermail/> and the 1500 metres.<ref name=aoc/> She started running when she was nine years old.<ref name=sourciermail/> In the United States, she is coached by Paul Spangler.<ref name=aoc/><ref name=heraldsunny/> In Australia, she was coached by David Howells.<ref name=gators/> She has also been coached by Todd Morgan.<ref name=aoc/> As of 2018, she was coached by Nic Bideau.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://results.gc2018.com/en/athletics/athlete-profile-n6029603-genevieve-lacaze.htm |title=Genevieve LACAZE |website=results.gc2018.com |publisher=Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games |language=en-AU |access-date=3 June 2018 |archive-date=12 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212073024/https://results.gc2018.com/en/athletics/athlete-profile-n6029603-genevieve-lacaze.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
LaCaze finished second in the 2012 Melbourne Track Classic in the 3000 metres steeple chase.<ref name=aoc/> LaCaze finished first at the 2012 Indianapolis American Milers Club in the 3000 metres steeple chase and first in the 1500 metres race.<ref name=aoc/>
===University=== LaCaze accepted an athletics scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, to study Applied physiology and kinesiology. At the University of Florida she competed for the Florida Gators cross country and Florida Gators track and field teams in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 2009 to 2012.<ref name=sourciermail/><ref name=gators/><ref name=heraldsunny/> She competed in the university-hosted Mountain Dew Invitational held at the Mark Bostick Golf Course in Gainesville.<ref name=sourciermail/><ref name=shouldmiss/><ref name=gators/> She finished fifth at the 2011 NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships in the 3000 metres steeple chase, and second in the 2012 NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships in the same event, both held in Des Moines, Iowa.<ref name=aoc/>
===2012 London Olympics=== LaCaze set an Olympic A-Qualifying time of 9:41, two days after the deadline set by Athletics Australia. She set the time at a race in Indianapolis.<ref name=sourciermail/><ref name=shouldmiss>{{cite web |last=Alex |first=By |url=http://www.news.com.au/national/one-final-hurdle-shes-qualified-for-the-games-but-australia-doesnt-want-her/story-e6frfkvr-1226396055123 |title=Steeplechaser Genevieve LaCaze should miss Olympics, says Eric Hollingsworth |publisher=News.com.au |date=15 June 2012 |access-date=4 July 2012}}</ref><ref name=heraldsunny>{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/london-olympics/steeplechaser-genevieve-lacaze-begs-selectors-to-let-her-run-in-london-olympics/story-fn9dheyx-1226396054145 |title=Steeplechaser Genevieve LaCaze begs selectors to let her run in London Games |author1=Scott Gullan |author2=Alex Murdoch |publisher=Herald Sun |location=Melbourne |access-date=4 July 2012}}</ref><ref name=followingstuff/> She claimed her inability to set an Olympic A-Qualifying time earlier was a result of the university athletics schedule making it difficult to set a qualifying time.<ref name=sourciermail/> After news of her too-late qualification time broke, she became a trending topic on Twitter under the hashtags #letlacazerun and #genlacaze as people indicated their support for her to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics.<ref name=followingstuff>{{cite web |last=Tin |first=Jason |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/london-olympics/steeplechaser-genevieve-lacaze-buoyed-by-online-support-for-her-london-olympic-games-bid/story-fn9di2lk-1226398112365 |title=Steeplechaser Genevieve LaCaze buoyed by online support for her London Olympic Games bid |publisher=The Courier-Mail |date=18 June 2012 |access-date=4 July 2012}}</ref> Following the story, she was contacted by Nike and New Balance about potential sponsorship.<ref name=followingstuff/> No other Australian athlete had qualified for the 3000m distance.
LaCaze was eventually chosen to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics after having initially been left off the squad.<ref name=morefromqld/><ref name=onesources>{{cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/olympics/news-london-2012/off-track-a-sport-in-crisis-20120630-219pn.html |title=Off track, a sport in crisis |publisher=Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney |date=30 June 2012 |access-date=4 July 2012}}</ref> Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates intervened asking Athletics Australia to include her on the squad.<ref name=shouldmiss/><ref name=morefromqld/><ref name=heraldsunny/><ref name=onesources/> Prior to Coates' support, Athletics Australia high performance manager Eric Hollingsworth had said that LaCaze did not deserve to go because she had not complied with Athletics Australia's nomination deadline.<ref name=shouldmiss/>
LaCaze was Australia's only female runner in the 3000 metre steeplechase event as no other Australian woman set an Olympic A-Qualifying time.<ref name=sourciermail/><ref name=shouldmiss/> The Games was her first.<ref name=aoc>{{cite web |url=http://london2012.olympics.com.au/athlete/genevieve-lacaze |title=London 2012 – Genevieve LaCaze |publisher=Australian Olympic Committee |access-date=4 July 2012 |archive-date=3 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120703205929/http://london2012.olympics.com.au/athlete/genevieve-lacaze |url-status=dead }}</ref> Her family planned to travel to London to watch her compete.<ref name=followingstuff/> She did not qualify for the final but improved her personal best up to 9:37:90.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/mini/oly12/Results/ResultsByDate.aspx?racedate=08-04-2012/sex=W/discCode=3KSC/combCode=hash/roundCode=h/results.html#detW_3KSC_hash_h |publisher=IAAF |title=Result table |access-date=16 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811225610/http://www.iaaf.org/mini/oly12/Results/ResultsByDate.aspx?racedate=08-04-2012%2Fsex%3DW%2FdiscCode%3D3KSC%2FcombCode%3Dhash%2FroundCode%3Dh%2Fresults.html |archive-date=11 August 2012}}</ref>
===Commonwealth Games 2014=== LaCaze had a disappointing 2013 after breaking her ankle at the Birmingham Diamond League event in the buildup to the Moscow World Championships, for which she had qualified.<ref name=":0" /> This injury made LaCaze call time on life in Florida where she had carried on living and training since graduating college in 2012 after the Olympics. LaCaze returned home and based herself in Melbourne training with Melbourne Track Club giving her the opportunity to train with Australia's best distance athletes and coach Nic Bideau. Since moving to Melbourne LaCaze has begun a relationship with fellow distance runner Ryan Gregson, whom she first met in 2007 under rather amusing circumstances.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 August 2016 |title=Story behind Rio's favourite track couple |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/olympics/ryan-gregson-on-his-love-story-with-gen-lacaze-and-why-its-all-about-him-for-now-ng-7910142689ef45b18d9d291c62801180 |access-date=25 September 2021 |website=PerthNow |language=en}}</ref>
LaCaze recovered well and set a qualifying time for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth games. At the games LaCaze raced well in a lead group of five, but succumbed to the last lap pace and finished 5th in a personal best time of 9:37:04.<ref name=":0" />
During the closing ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, LaCaze got on stage during Kylie Minogue's performance of 'The Loco-Motion'.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}
===2016 Rio Olympics===
LaCaze placed ninth in the final of the women's 3000 metres steeplechase in a personal best time of 9:21.21. She also finished in twelfth in the 1500 m race.<ref name=":0" />
She finished in 12th in the 3000 m steeplechase at the 2017 World Championships, despite an injury-ravaged build up to the event.<ref name=":0" /> Because of injuries, she raced only once before the World Championships.<ref name=":0" />
=== Commonwealth Games 2018 === LaCaze finished in 5th place at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in her home region of the Gold Coast, Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://results.gc2018.com/en/athletics/result-women-s-3000m-steeplechase-fnl-000100-.htm |title=Athletics {{!}} Result Women's 3000m Steeplechase Final - Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games|website=results.gc2018.com|language=en-AU|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref>
=== Melbourne Marathon 2024 === She won the 2024 the Melbourne Marathon.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival (2024) results |url=https://www.multisportaustralia.com.au/races/melbourne-marathon-2024|website=multisportaustralia.com.au |date=12 October 2024 |access-date=15 October 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{World Athletics}} * [https://www.athletics.com.au/athlete/genevieve-gregson/ Genevieve Gregson] at Australian Athletics * [https://athletics.possumbility.com/athletes/athlete5484.htm Genevieve Gregson (LaCaze)] at Australian Athletics Historical Results * {{Australian Olympic Committee}} * {{Commonwealth Games Australia|genevieve-gregson}} * {{Olympics.com}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20240730144640/https://www.olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/genevieve-gregson_1939770 Genevieve Gregson] at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics (archived, [https://paris2024.rtve.es/es/paris-2024/atleta/genevieve-gregson_1939770 alternate link]) * {{Olympedia|name=Genevieve LaCaze-Gregson}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gregson, Genevieve}} Category:1989 births Category:Living people Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes from Queensland Category:Australian Athletics Championships winners Category:Australian women steeplechase runners Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for Australia Category:Florida Gators women's cross country runners Category:Florida Gators women's track and field athletes Category:Olympic athletes for Australia Category:People educated at John Paul College (Brisbane) Category:Sportspeople from the Gold Coast, Queensland Category:Athletes from the Gold Coast, Queensland Category:Sportswomen from Queensland Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Australia Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen