Buderim para-athlete Nathan Jason has cemented his place among the world’s elite track stars after shattering a historic 35-year-old Australian sprinting record.
The 23-year-old local speedster accomplished the feat at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, where he competed in the Men’s 100m T12 classification for athletes with visual impairments. Jason missed out on an individual podium finish by a mere 0.07 seconds, securing a fourth-place finish with an incredible time of 11.11 seconds.
This achievement lowered the previous national mark of 11.20 seconds, which was established by Mark Davies all the way back in 1990. Despite just missing out on the individual medal, Jason did not leave the global stage empty-handed, as he secured a bronze medal as a member of the Australian Universal $4 \times 100\text{m}$ relay team.
From the Pool to the Track
Jason represents the University of the Sunshine Coast club, but his journey to the top of the athletics world required immense patience and a complete career reset. Before finding success on the running track, he spent a lifetime training as a competitive swimmer. He decided to switch sports in 2022, trading the pool for the athletic oval.
Reshaping his body to handle the high-impact muscular strain of explosive sprinting was a massive physical hurdle. Working alongside his dedicated coaching team, which includes his father Vincent Jason, Nick Bennett, and strength and conditioning specialist Jarrod Bolton, it took three long years of intense gym adjustments to safely build the power needed for elite track racing.
Overcoming Trackside Obstacles
Jason navigates the track with severe visual challenges caused by hereditary eye conditions. He was born with Cone-Rod Dystrophy and Stargardt disease, which heavily impact his central vision. These conditions cause significant blind spots and severe distortion.
Competing in the T12 classification presents daily operational hurdles during high-speed races. Jason has noted that he experiences extreme sensitivity to bright light. This particular issue can make it incredibly difficult to stay straight in his assigned lane, spot his running competitors, and clearly see the finish line at the end of the straightaway.
Local Roots and Family Ties
Athletic talent is a shared trait in the Jason household. His older brother, Braedan Jason, lives with the exact same visual impairment and has already established himself as a highly decorated dual-Paralympian para-swimmer for Australia, having raced at both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Games. Watching his brother compete on the world stage has provided Nathan with a core sporting role model as he targets his very own Paralympic debut.
When he is away from his intense training sessions at the UniSC tracks, Jason remains deeply involved in supporting his local Sunshine Coast community. He works as a surf club instructor for a regional education program, where he spends his time teaching coastal safety and surf awareness to residents.
Additionally, he balances his heavy athletic schedule with a part-time Bachelor of Counselling degree at the University of the Sunshine Coast and enjoys spending his free time on the golf course. Jason has carried his excellent form straight into the early 2026 season, setting a new 60m personal best of 7.27 seconds in February and launching his 100m season with a fast 11.32-second sprint in January.
Published Date 18-May-2026
