Lauren Boden (2006) can surely be proud of her many on and off the track achievements. After all, it’s not every day that a student receives a message of “Good Luck” at a special whole school assembly! 

How did Daramalan College influence your life?    

I was a student at Daramalan College for Years 11 and 12, and the biggest influence was the friends I made there. Coming in Year 11 was potentially tough as I didn’t know many people, but two of my good friends had been there since Year 7, so spending time with them and their group of friends was nice. We are all still friends now, and I really treasure the time I had to make those connections and I still see those people after all these years! 

What is your fondest memory of your time at Daramalan?  

My fondest memory at Daramalan was when we were in Year 12 and walking to the Hall for what I thought was a regular assembly. As it turned out, the whole school were there and had organised a surprise ‘Good Luck’ farewell for me before I headed off to the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games! It was so overwhelming and pleasant to think that people had put so much effort into planning all that for me! It was really touching, and I always appreciated the support they gave me as it was pretty challenging to begin my athletics career competing for Australia and trying to complete Year 12 at the same time! 

What do you consider your most significant sports achievements? 

My most significant sporting achievements would be: 

– 2x Olympic Games (400m hurdles) 

– 5x World Championships (400m hurdles and 4x400m relay) 

– 4x Commonwealth Games (400m hurdles, 4x400m relay and Long Jump in 2018) 

– 13x 400m hurdles National Champion 

– 400m Stawell Gift Winner (2016) 

– 200m Stawell Gift Winner (2019)

What are you doing outside of your athletic career? 

In January this year, I moved to Brisbane for a change of scenery. I have lived my whole life in Canberra and loved it, but I also felt like it was time for a change! I am a Primary School teacher, currently teaching a Year 1 class. I really love teaching and feel equally passionate about it as I did about my athletics. I am in my sixth year of teaching. 

I am also a registered Marriage Celebrant, which is a fun side hustle! I love weddings and being a celebrant is a really special way to be part of such a big day for a couple! I usually do weddings for friends and family, which makes it even more special! 

What is your advice for current students?    

If you’re unsure about what to do after Year 12, that’s completely OK! I went to university, studied a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and when I got to the end of it, realised I didn’t want to be a Psychologist! I worked for a few years in Before and After School Care while I was training and competing in athletics. It wasn’t until I was 27 that I decided I really wanted to be a teacher and went back to complete my second university degree. I was 30 when I had my first full-time job! My journey is different to many people because I was pursuing an elite sport, but the main message is that you can find balance and figure out what you want to do by taking your time and trying different things. It’s OK not to have a complete plan of ‘what you want to be’, but it’s good to have some goals to aim for. Having a strong support network around you is important so that if you need to readjust your goals, you’ll have people to talk your ideas through with and generally support your decisions.  

What is your fondest memory of the Olympic Games?   

My fondest memory of the Olympic Games is from London 2012 when I was walking with Team Australia into the Opening Ceremony. I was with my training partners, Brendan Cole and Melissa Breen, and our Coach, Matt Beckenham. As we were walking in, looking at the crowd and cheering, Mel and I stopped, looked at each other and said, “OK, now we’ve made it, we’re at the OLYMPIC GAMES!!”. There had been so much lead-up to the event, but to finally be there, walking around in our Australian uniforms and seeing 80,000 people in the stadium… It’s hard to describe how amazing that feeling was and to share it with some of my closest friends – it was incredible and a moment I will forever cherish!