Olympic hurdler and media sensation Michelle Jenneke has faced injury setbacks in recent years, but is back on track after competing in the women’s 100m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this month.
The 29-year-old Australian hurdler, who has also competed as a sprinter and long-jumper, posted a picture Thursday of herself looking healthy and athletic in a bikini during some well-deserved vacation time in Santorini, Greece, as she trains for the 2024 Olympics, to be held July 26-August 11, 2024, in Paris, France.
“Safe to say I’m enjoying my time off,” the Aussie said on her Instagram post.
Jenneke has been dubbed the “Dancing Hurdler” ever since her pre-race warm-up dance moves at the starting block went viral at the 2012 World Junior Championships. She has since been featured on the BBC, the Tonight Show, the Chive, and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
“She will be very happy with how she executed that race,” Aussie track and field legend and media personality Tamsyn Manou said of Jenneke after the Commonwealth Games race. “She’s an incredible hurdler and she’s in great shape. … She’s had so many issue with injuries that it’s been really hard for her to get a block of training done. She comes into this championships with a block of training.”
Michelle Jenneke of Australia finishing in second place and Michelle Harrison of Canada finishing in third place in the Women’s 100m Hurdles – Round 1 – Heat 3 during the Athletics competition at Alexander Stadium during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on August 5, 2022, in Birmingham, England. (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
“I think sometimes people forget just how talented she is as an athlete,” Manou continued. “Athletes come in and they know what works for their psyche. For Michelle, it’s about relaxing and enjoying herself and that’s how she gets the most about herself.”
Jenneke is taking her injuries in stride, and is focused on her future.
“I had a pretty rough two years,” she said. “There were times people in my inner circle were saying to me, ‘Are you sure you want to be doing this?’ And I was just saying back to them, ‘I’ve got more in me’. It shows that I have and I’m really glad I could show the world what I’m capable of.”