Patrick Johnson (b. 1972), sprinter, set an Australian 100m record of 9.93 seconds in Mito, Japan in 2003, becoming the first Australian to run the distance under ten seconds. Born in a speedboat off the Queensland coast, Johnson was raised by his fisherman father after his mother died when he was two. Although he attended many different schools, often swimming ashore to do so, he proceeded to the ANU to undertake a degree in politics and Asian Studies. Fluent in five languages including Cantonese, he now works at the Department of Foreign Affairs. After making his race debut in the Australian University Championships in 1996 - the year he began training at the AIS - he won the 200m national championships in 2001 and 2003 and the 100m in 2003, and gained a bronze at the Commonwealth Games 4 x 100m relay in 2002. Johnson has been selected to run in the 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 2004
© Estate of Penny Tweedie
The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the
Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a
Reproduction request. For further information please contact
NPG Copyright.
