Jana Pittman
What does it take to keep going when the path you imagined suddenly changes?
From the athletics track to the Winter Olympics, medical school, motherhood and women’s health, Jana Pittman’s story is one of resilience, reinvention and having the courage to begin again.
At Channel Country Ladies Day, Jana will share a story that goes well beyond medals – exploring the setbacks, unexpected turns and different seasons of life that have shaped her along the way. We’re looking forward to hearing her reflections on resilience, determination, embracing change and redefining what success can look like.
About Jana
Two times world champion, four times Commonwealth champion – in the sport of athletics, Jana Pittman personifies resilience and determination. When continual injuries hampered her athletic career and could have signalled retirement, she swapped the track for the ice, joining the Australian women’s bobsled team and becoming the first woman to represent Australia in both a Summer (2000, 2004) and Winter (2014) Olympic Games.
Off the track, Jana completed a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery at Western Sydney University in 2019 (graduating with First Class Honours and the university medal) and is now a junior doctor in Women’s Health. She completed a Masters of Reproductive Medicine at the University of New South Wales in 2020 and has initiated her PhD in Obstetrics (focusing on aspects of uterus transplantation).
This busy woman is proud mum to six children: Cornelis; little sisters Emily and Jemima; Charlie; and most recently, twins Quinlan and Willow. Having experienced her own personal scare with cervical dysplasia, Jana became an ambassador for the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation.
In 2021, Jana was a participant in the gruelling television show SAS Australia on Channel 7. She made it to the last day of the course and was the final female standing among the 18 celebrity recruits, despite having given birth only five and a half months previously.
Keynote presentation and workshops
As well as a keynote speaker, Jana will be hosting workshops over the weekend. We will share information on these closer to the event.
