Joshua Robert Atkinson (born 25 May 2003) is a Thai sprinter and middle-distance runner who competes primarily in the 400 metres and 800 metres. Born in Sydney, Australia, he developed as an athlete in the Australian junior athletics system before becoming eligible to represent Thailand in international competition in April 2022.
Atkinson won the men's 400 metres at the 2026 Asian Games in a personal best of 44.90 seconds, becoming the first Thai athlete to win an Asian Games title in the event. He also holds the Thai national record in the 800 metres, having run 1:48.18 at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
In his first major international competition for Thailand, Atkinson won four gold medals at the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi, taking the 400 metres, 800 metres, men's 4 × 400 metres relay and mixed 4 × 400 metres relay titles. At the 2025 SEA Games in Bangkok, he won the 400 metres and men's 4 × 400 metres relay and took silver in the 800 metres and mixed 4 × 400 metres relay.
Early life and junior career Atkinson was born in Sydney, Australia, on 25 May 2003. He spent approximately four years of his childhood in Japan, where he first became interested in running through school sports competitions while also playing football. After returning to Australia with his family in 2011, his parents enrolled him in an athletics club and he began training more seriously.
He initially competed in the 800 and 1500 metres before his coach, Graham Garnett, shifted his focus towards the 400 and 800 metres. As an under-16 athlete, Atkinson ran 1:54.50 to break a New South Wales age-group record in the 800 metres. He subsequently lowered his personal best to 1:50.82 and recorded 47.83 seconds for the 400 metres.
In 2021, Atkinson was selected for an Australian under-20 squad in the 400 metres, 800 metres, men's 4 × 400 metres relay and mixed 4 × 400 metres relay. He continued to compete in New South Wales and, in early 2022, ran 46.60 seconds for the 400 metres, achieving the qualifying standard for the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships.
Career 2022: Thailand debut and World U20 Championships Atkinson made his major international debut for Thailand at the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi. He first won the mixed 4 × 400 metres relay with Siripol Punpa, Supanich Poolkerd and Benny Nontanam, with Thailand recording 3:19.29.
He subsequently won the men's 400 metres in 46.44 seconds and the 800 metres in 1:55.75. On the final day of athletics, Atkinson ran the anchor leg as Thailand won the men's 4 × 400 metres relay in 3:07.58, giving him a fourth gold medal at the Games. He was later selected as one of four outstanding athletes of the Games.
At the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, Atkinson competed in the 400 metres. He ran 46.13 seconds in the semifinal, a Thai under-20 record, to qualify automatically for the final. He finished fifth in the final in 46.31 seconds.
2023: national 800 metres record Atkinson competed at the 2023 SEA Games in Phnom Penh. He finished fourth in the 400 metres in 46.90 seconds. In the 800 metres heats he recorded 1:54.26 but did not start the final. During the Games, the Athletics Association of Thailand reported that he was affected by a groin injury.
At the 2022 Asian Games, held in Hangzhou later that year, Atkinson concentrated on the 800 metres and relay events. He ran 1:48.18 in the first round, lowering the Thai national record, and reached the final, where he recorded 1:50.50. He was also part of the Thai men's 4 × 400 metres relay team that finished fourth in 3:04.23.
2025: SEA Games At the 2025 SEA Games in Bangkok, Atkinson won the men's 400 metres in 45.13 seconds. The performance was a personal best at the time and broke the SEA Games record.
He earned silver in the mixed 4 × 400 metres relay as Thailand finished in 3:16.56, and later finished second in the men's 800 metres in 1:49.24.
On the final day of the athletics programme, Atkinson ran the anchor leg for Thailand in the men's 4 × 400 metres relay. Thailand won in 3:03.07, setting both a Thai national record and a SEA Games record. Atkinson finished the Games with two gold and two silver medals.
2026: Asian Games champion Atkinson competed in the men's 400 metres at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. On 26 September, he won the final in a personal best of 44.90 seconds, ahead of the United Arab Emirates' Suleiman Abdulrahman, who ran 44.99, and Japan's Yuki Joseph Nakajima, who finished in 45.22.
The victory was Thailand's first Asian Games gold medal in the men's 400 metres.
Achievements Information from the World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.
Personal bests Event Performance Location Date Notes 400 metres 44.90 Nagoya, Japan 26 September 2026 800 metres 1:48.18 Hangzhou, China 2 October 2023
International competitions 2022SEA GamesHanoi, Vietnam1st400 m46.441st800 m1:55.751st4 × 400 m relay3:07.581stMixed 4 × 400 m relay3:19.29World U20 ChampionshipsCali, Colombia5th400 m46.312023SEA GamesPhnom Penh, Cambodia4th400 m46.90DNS (f)800 m1:54.26 (h)Asian ChampionshipsBangkok, Thailand6th (sf)400 m46.435thMixed 4 × 400 m relay3:22.205th4 × 400 m relay3:05.63Asian GamesHangzhou, China7th800 m1:50.504th4 × 400 m relay3:04.232025Asian ChampionshipsGumi, South Korea7th (h)800 m1:50.91SEA GamesBangkok, Thailand1st400 m45.132ndMixed 4 × 400 m relay3:16.562nd800 m1:49.241st4 × 400 m relay3:03.072026Asian GamesNagoya, Japan1st400 m44.90
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