Chelsea Scolyer: Chasing the dream from Tassie to Stawell

Date: 10th April 2025

When 19-year-old Tasmanian sprinter Chelsea Scolyer lines up for the Powercor Women’s Gift this Easter, she’ll be chasing a dream that began on the windswept tracks of the state’s northwest coast. Off a handicap of 2.25m, she will line up as the next in front of scratch markers Bree Rizzo and Chloe Mannix-Power. For Chelsea, it’s the culmination of hard work, resilience, and belief.

“Stawell has always been on my competition bucket list,” she says. “I’m really excited to finally run it this year. I’m heading into the weekend with an open mind, ready to enjoy the experience and take the pressure off.”

Trained by Greg James of G-Train Athletics in Tasmania at the Penguin Athletic Centre between Devonport and Burnie, and with several amateur accolades under her belt – national U16 gold, U20 silver, member of the Australian U20 World Championships team and record-breaking 4x100m relay squad, and multiple Tasmanian records across age groups – Chelsea says its pro running she enjoys the most.

“Pro running events are my favourite races on the calendar, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of being a backmarker, chasing down the front runners. It’s such an exhilarating feeling!

“I’ve always been part of the Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals across Hobart, Devonport, and Burnie. I love the atmosphere, especially when racing in front of a home crowd. One of my most exciting moments came in 2023, when I finished second in the Burnie Gift behind Mia Spencer.”

Coach Greg James believes Chelsea has a bright future. “Chelsea’s future can be whatever she wants it to be. She has that rare mix of talent and drive. The desire to be better, to go that extra mile – that’s what makes a great athlete, and Chelsea has it.”

This year marks her first trip to the Stawell Gift, and her entry into both the Women’s 70m and the marquee 120m Women’s Gift reflects her determination to return to form after a challenging 12 months. A hamstring injury during the World U20 Championships and another setback in January kept her off the national stage, but Chelsea is now healthy, focused, and ready.

“To win the Powercor Women’s Gift would be such an honour,” she says. “After such an interrupted year, a win would mean the world to me. More than anything, it would be a huge boost for my mental confidence and a reminder of the progress I’ve made despite the setbacks.”

For Greg and the G-Train Athletics squad, the trip to Stawell is about more than just results. It’s about providing athletes with the chance to race on the national stage and experience the magic of Central Park.

“Stawell is the pinnacle,” says coach James. “Not all athletes get the chance to race at the Australian Championships, but at Stawell, everyone has a shot. It’s pro running’s Melbourne Cup. That experience stays with you and makes you hungry for more.

“Stawell is the place where that opportunity presents itself. A place where if you are good enough off your handicap and all the duck’s line up, just maybe the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow can be yours. 

“The experience makes you hungry for success, you can sit back at home and watch it on 7+ or you can be part of it. Being part of it is what athletes train for, the burn, the desire to achieve at the most nationally recognised running carnival in the country.”

Despite the challenges of being a Tasmanian athlete up against what Greg James describes as “the lack of affordable competitions, the tyranny of travel and the cold wet winter weather” – Chelsea is one of six G-Train athletes competing this year, with teammates Lily James, Logan James, Adam French, Jordan Maynard, and Samuel Plapp also making the journey from Tasmania. Their achievements speak for themselves, with multiple wins across Tasmanian and Victorian Gifts this season.

Lily James, a finalist at the 2025 Braybrook Gift, has multiple wins under her belt including the St Helens Gift (2024, 2019), the Central Coast Gift (2024), and the Hobart Gift (2021). Logan James has enjoyed a standout season, winning both the Burnie and Hobart Gifts in 2024, placing second at the 2025 Bendigo Gold Nugget Gift, and claiming two titles at Rosebery. Adam French has also made his mark with wins at the Devonport and Rosebery Gifts in 2024. Jordan Maynard, a Stawell 200m semi-finalist in 2022, returns with victories in the Hobart and Devonport Gifts in 2023. Rising talent Samuel Plapp enters with a strong personal best of 48.97 seconds over 400m in the U20 ranks. Together, they form a dynamic and ambitious squad ready to make an impact on the Stawell stage.

But for Chelsea, the journey is also personal. The Tassie girl loves the outdoor life – “it’s a great escape from the busy life of balancing study and athletics. Working on the farm with my dad and brother, driving tractors and fixing things, really helps me recharge and stay grounded” – but in a few months she’ll relocate to the Gold Coast to begin studies at Griffith University and join Viking Athletics under renowned coach Brett Robinson.

“Moving to the Gold Coast has been a dream since I was 15,” Chelsea says. “Growing up in Tasmania, I’m proud of where I’m from, but the opportunities for elite sprinting are limited. I’m looking forward to a new training environment, sunshine, great facilities, and a team of athletes who will push me to grow.”

She’ll study a Bachelor of Psychology, with aspirations to work in criminal psychology, all while continuing her pursuit of Olympic qualification. “Brisbane 2032 is the ultimate goal,” she says. “The thought of competing at a home Games drives me every day.

“Being part of such a talented group of Australian female sprinters is constantly motivating and pushes me to become the best athlete I can be.

“Greg took me on when I was an injured junior and helped me rediscover my love for the sport, as well as reignite my dream of becoming the fastest Tasmanian woman ever and wearing the green and gold. Tassie will always be home, and Greg, along with the entire G-Train crew, feels like a second family. 

“They’ve played such a huge role in building the foundation of who I am as an athlete and a person. The positive, fun environment made even the toughest sessions enjoyable, and that’s something I knew I wanted to find again on the Gold Coast. I really like the look of the Vikings team culture.

“In the short term, my goal is to have a strong preseason, transition smoothly into the senior ranks, and put myself in a competitive position for next year’s relay squads. I’m aiming to be in the mix for selection at the World Relays, World Championships, and the Commonwealth Games.

Until then, there is Stawell. There is the chase. Having decided to skip Nationals following injury, Chelsea is ready and primed for Easter. 

And for Chelsea Scolyer, there is the belief that every setback has prepared her for this moment.

From left to right: back row – Greg James, Theo Collins, Jack Penny, Lily James, Logan James, Adam French, Jordan Maynard, Samuel Plapp
front row: Chelsea Scolyer, Emma Penny

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