1. Early Life and Education
Mackenzie Little's formative years were characterized by a relocation to Australia and an early, diverse engagement in sports, which eventually led her to specialize in javelin.
1.1. Birth and Early Childhood
Mackenzie Little was born on December 22, 1996, in Rochester, Minnesota, United States. As an infant, she and her family moved to Australia, where she was raised. At the age of six, Little began her athletic journey through the Little Athletics program in Sydney's Northern Suburbs. During her early childhood, she actively participated in a variety of sports, including soccer, softball, water polo, and field hockey.
1.2. Adolescence and High School Career
Little's athletic path took a more specialized turn when she entered Pymble Ladies' College at seven years old. It was there, in Year 7, that she had her first javelin training session after a hurdles competition was canceled, marking her entry into the sport. During her teenage years, Little competed nationally in javelin, as well as in 400m hurdles and heptathlon. By the age of 15, she was already consistently throwing the javelin over 164 ft (50 m). In 2013, at 17 years old, Little was selected for the Australian youth national team. In July of that year, she earned a gold medal at the 2013 World Youth Championships held in Donetsk, Ukraine, achieving a throw of 202 ft (61.47 m). Her performance at this event secured her victory over competitors such as Yulenmis Aguilar of Cuba and Anete Kociņa of Latvia. In 2014, she recorded a throw of 189 ft (57.6 m).
2. Collegiate Career
Mackenzie Little pursued her athletic and academic ambitions at Stanford University in the United States, where she excelled in both fields.
2.1. Stanford University Athletics
In 2016, Little moved to the United States to attend Stanford University, where she became a prominent figure in collegiate track and field. Throughout her time at Stanford, she achieved significant success in the NCAA and Pac-12 Conference championships. She secured two NCAA javelin titles and four Pac-12 Conference titles, earning recognition as a four-time All-American. Her personal best during her collegiate career improved to 198 ft (60.36 m).
Her detailed collegiate results include:
| Representing Stanford University | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Competition | Venue | Rank | Event | Distance |
| 2019 | NCAA Division I Championships | Austin, Texas, United States | 1st | Javelin throw | 195 ft (59.44 m) |
| Pac-12 Conference Championships | Tucson, Arizona, United States | 1st | Javelin throw | 194 ft (59.13 m) | |
| 2018 | NCAA Division I Championships | Eugene, Oregon, United States | 1st | Javelin throw | 198 ft (60.36 m) |
| Pac-12 Conference Championships | Stanford, California, United States | 1st | Javelin throw | 180 ft (54.88 m) | |
| 2017 | NCAA Division I Championships | Eugene, Oregon, United States | 4th | Javelin throw | 181 ft (55.32 m) |
| Pac-12 Conference Championships | Eugene, Oregon, United States | 1st | Javelin throw | 174 ft (53.02 m) | |
| 2016 | NCAA Division I Championships | Eugene, Oregon, United States | 7th | Javelin throw | 176 ft (53.65 m) |
| Pac-12 Conference Championships | Seattle, Washington, United States | 1st | Javelin throw | 176 ft (53.71 m) | |
2.2. Academic and Post-Graduate Studies
Beyond her athletic pursuits, Mackenzie Little demonstrated strong academic capabilities. She graduated from Stanford University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology. Following her undergraduate studies, Little continued her education at the University of Sydney's Medical School, where she successfully completed her Doctor of Medicine degree in 2023.
3. International Career
Mackenzie Little's international career reflects her consistent progression and notable achievements on the global stage, representing Australia in major athletics competitions.
3.1. National Team Debut and Early Competitions
Little was selected to the Australian national team in 2017. In August of that year, she competed at the 2017 Summer Universiade in Taipei, Taiwan, where she placed 16th in the preliminary round with a throw of 171 ft (52.09 m). In June 2019, she participated in the 2019 Oceania Athletics Championships held in Townsville, Australia, earning a silver medal with a throw of 189 ft (57.74 m), finishing behind her national teammate Kelsey-Lee Barber. The following month, in July 2019, she competed at the 2019 Summer Universiade in Naples, Italy, where she placed 8th with a mark of 182 ft (55.37 m).
3.2. Olympic Games
Mackenzie Little made her Olympic debut in August 2021 at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. In the javelin throw qualification round, competing in Group A, she achieved a personal best throw of 205 ft (62.37 m), securing second place in her group behind Maria Andrejczyk of Poland. This performance ranked her fourth overall among all competitors, earning her a spot in the final. In the final, Little threw 197 ft (59.96 m), finishing in eighth place. She has also been selected to represent Australia at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
3.3. World Athletics Championships
Little has been a consistent presence at the World Athletics Championships. In July 2022, she competed at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, United States. She achieved a new personal best of 207 ft (63.22 m) during the competition, securing a fifth-place finish. The following year, in August 2023, she participated in the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. There, Little earned a bronze medal with a throw of 208 ft (63.38 m), finishing behind Haruka Kitaguchi of Japan and Flor Ruiz of Colombia.
3.4. Commonwealth Games
In August 2022, Mackenzie Little represented Australia at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom. She delivered a strong performance, throwing 211 ft (64.27 m), which marked a new personal best for her. This outstanding throw secured her a silver medal, once again finishing behind her compatriot, Kelsey-Lee Barber.
3.5. Other Major International Competitions
Beyond the major championships, Little has also competed in and achieved notable results at other significant international athletics meetings. In June 2022, she claimed a gold medal at the 2022 Oceania Athletics Championships in Mackay, Australia, where she defeated Tori Peters of New Zealand and Kelsey-Lee Barber. In May 2023, she won the Seiko Golden Grand Prix held in Yokohama, Japan. In June 2023, she continued her strong form by winning the Athletissima meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, and placing second at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Chorzów, Poland.
4. Personal Bests
Mackenzie Little's personal best record in the javelin throw is 211 ft (64.27 m), which she achieved at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Other significant personal bests include 205 ft (62.37 m) during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics qualification, 202 ft (61.47 m) at the 2013 World Youth Championships, 202 ft (61.42 m) in the 2020/21 season, which was the sixth-best throw in Australian history at the time, and 198 ft (60.36 m) during her collegiate career at Stanford.
5. Accolades and Recognition
Throughout her career, Mackenzie Little has received numerous accolades and forms of recognition for her achievements in javelin throwing. These include:
- Gold Medal, 2013 World Youth Championships
- Two NCAA Javelin Titles
- Four Pac-12 Conference Titles
- Four-time All-American
- Gold Medal, 2022 Oceania Athletics Championships
- Silver Medal, 2022 Commonwealth Games
- Bronze Medal, 2023 World Athletics Championships
- Winner of 2023 Seiko Golden Grand Prix
- Winner of 2023 Athletissima