Joseph Deng

Joseph Deng (born 7 July 1998) is an Australian middle-distance runner.

In 2018, he broke the 800-metre Australian record (which had stood since the 1968 Mexico Olympics) and five years later bettered the record again to 1:43.99.

Deng also runs sprint distances, with 47.25 over the 400 m and a wind-aided 22.24 200 m.

Early years Deng was born in Kakuma, Kenya in a UNHCR refugee camp (first established in 1969). His mother left Sudan to escape the Second Sudanese Civil War.

In 2004, Deng's family moved to Toowoomba, Queensland when he was six and in 2010 he moved to Ipswich at the age of 12. He first attended Raceview State School, where he was encouraged to attend after-school athletics coaching at Ipswich Grammar School under the guidance of coach Di Sheppard.

Following the political controversy surrounding purported "African crime gangs" in Melbourne, Deng was cited by the ABC as "a track star of boundless potential" and "proof positive of what immigrants can offer to their adopted country when given the opportunity."

Return to prominence In 2023, Deng recaptured the 800 m national record (which had been progressively improved by his training partner Peter Bol in 2021 and 2022) with a new personal best of 1:43.99 in Lyon, France.

He competed for Australia at the 2024 Summer Olympics.