One of Central Australia’s greatest ever athletes: The Emma Kraft story

EMMA Kraft is one of Central Australia’s greatest ever athletes. A three-times World Championship runner for Australia, Emma has built a reputation across the world for her skill, tenacity and humility

Alice Springs runner Emma Kraft before the 33rd World Mountain Running Championships in Premana, Italy. Picture: Emma Murray

EMMA Kraft is one of Central Australia’s greatest ever athletes.

A three-times World Championship runner for Australia, Emma has built a reputation across the world for her skill, tenacity and humility. 

Emma, the reigning Centralian of the Year, has just won the blockbuster Adelaide Marathon, is smashing personal best times, and has won a top honour at the NT Sports’ Awards.

A new dawn of even more success has begun.

Emma is the daughter of very famous parents. Her Dad Wayne ‘Krafty’ Kraft and her Mum Barb Low have made a big impact in Alice over many years. 

Em also has her sister Sally, step-Dad Ian ‘Lowy’ Low and step-siblings Stacey and Ryan Low. 

“Mum and Dad have been awesome- they’ve really supported me!”

“Alice was great growing up. You’d go out camping, go out bush, spend a day at a river bed. 

“High school was really good at St. Philips. There were really good opportunities! There was so much happening with sport, outdoor ed, leadership opportunities.”

Emma after winning the women’s Masters Mile

One opportunity Emma received was the chance to sail in a replica 18th Century ship, the Young Endeavour. 

A girl from the desert sailing on the high seas. What could possibly go wrong?

“I was so sick! I vomited when I was up the top. It was an 11-day journey. For the first two days I was green. 

“I didn’t learn anything those first two days, then when I was finally feeling better, they were saying ‘Pull on this rope, do this to the sails.’ I didn’t know- I’d missed everything!

“We went from Adelaide to Melbourne. As soon as I was there I felt sick, and we hadn’t even left the harbour!”

Not long after returning to dry land, Emma would be flying overseas for the first time, to Sweden in Year 11, to compete at the World Gymnaestrada. Gymnaestrada is the world’s largest gymnastics exhibition, and takes place every four years like the Olympics. 

“That was really cool! We had a group from Central Australia, part of the YMCA. There were 12 of us who did the routine. We fundraised to get there.

“It was my first international sporting event. It was just amazing- to be on the other side of the world, a different language, different currency, different shopping!”

Emma being named the Centralian of the Year

Emma was House Captain at school, dominated the netball court and after high school went to Melbourne to study at Uni.

“I went to Deakin, I did a Bachelor of Applied Science in Food Science and Nutrition. 

“I worked for Nike in their Bourke Street Mall store. That’s where my obsession for shoes and Nike comes from!

“I did a bit of jogging, but nothing serious.  Then I came back to Alice. I had a job at the Batchelor Institute for Indigenous Tertiary Education. We’d finish work at 4:21pm. I had so much time on my hands!

“I played netball, but that was just training once a week. I had lots of spare time, so I started running.

“I was running with Eli Melky and his group. That gave me a taste of it, and I started competing in Darwin and Adelaide. Then I did the Arafura Games.”

Emma is a versatile athlete, competing across the 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon. 

Em is also a gun off-road athlete, with mountain running and trail running. 

Ten years ago she joined Team Tempo, with South Australian Coach Adam Didyk.

“He gave me a new program, I kept running and progressing. I was competing a lot in Melbourne.”

Emma competing in Trail Run World Championships in Hawaii

In 2013, Emma Kraft became an Australian World Championship competitor, making the Aussie team for the Mountain Running World Champs in Poland. 

“It was just an amazing honour. It didn’t even matter the result, it was getting there, getting to the start line- knowing I’ve done the work. All the people supporting me along the way! I did it!”

Emma went back-to-back, competing at the World Champs in Italy in 2014. 2015 was cruelled by injury, but Emma still went to the World Champs in Wales, this time as Team Manager. 

She was back running again at the Champs in ‘17, this time returning to Italy.

Emma has a swag of silverware, Oceania titles, Arafura gold, but one of the sweetest victories of all came on September 20 this year.

Emma Kraft won the much-vaunted Adelaide Marathon.

Competing in just her fourth Marathon- the ultimate physical and mental test of the athlete- Emma smashed the field and her personal best.

In 2-hours, 52-minutes and 33-seconds Emma reached a new watershed moment in her career. 

“I was so happy to get a massive person best- I beat my PB by six minutes! It was the perfect race. I didn’t win the whole way, I got the lead at 35km.

“Before the 35km, I was happy with the pace and just ran my own race. I have the experience now to not get too carried away. 

Emma running a 10km cross country event

“With 2kms to go, I had a friend who was running with me, and I said ‘I’ve got this, hey?’ He said ‘Yeah you do.’

“Now I could just really enjoy it!”

Emma’s previous personal best was at the world’s most famous marathon, in New York City, in 2018.

“The New York Marathon was amazing! I loved it, it was so noisy. Everyone was cheering!”

What do you think about when you’re running?

“I don’t know! People always ask that. You do have a lot‘ve time to think. Some people meditate. I can’t meditate. Running is my own time. Sometimes I have music. 

How about pushing through the pain barrier?

“I always tell myself that in half an hour or an hour, you’re not going to feel any of that pain. You’ll forget you were even in pain! Let’s just push through that pain —you’re not going to die!”

Fresh off her Marathon win and PB, Emma has now just run a 5km track PB.

“I’m running faster than I ever have! I didn’t think I’d still be running these sorts of times at 37. I’m just going to keep running!”

After COVID, Emma is keen to have a crack at more major marathons like Chicago and Berlin.

Emma says she is very keen to expand her coaching career as well

If Emma can shave another six minutes off her Marathon PB, as she did in Adelaide, it brings her in to Commonwealth Games calculations. 

The future has never looked brighter for Emma Kraft. 

She has just taken out a top gong at the NT Sports’ Awards.

Em was recognised as a leading light of the Northern Territory, winning the Administrators Medal, The Steve Abala Role Model Award.

“I’ve always strived to be a role model- in everyday life, in relationships, in how you present yourself. In getting stuff done!

“I hope to be a role model to my two beautiful nieces Macy and Keira.”

Emma is spending some time in Adelaide, running magnificently, and helping others to shoot for the stars in her role with The Running Company. 

Em says she is very keen to expand her coaching career as well. She currently operates with TempoRun Coach, through Team Tempo, where Emma conducts training sessions in Victor Harbour, and writes on-line programs.  

Emma says the people of Alice Springs mean everything to her.

“The Alice community has been just amazing supporting me over the years. They are just awesome! 

“The people and the businesses have got behind me so much. It’s allowed me to represent Australia. It means so much to me! I couldn’t have done it without them. 

“And a big thank you to the Alice Springs Running and Walking Club!”

On Australia Day this year, Emma Kraft was named our Centralian of the Year. 

It’s particularly fitting that someone as determined, resilient and positive as Emma wore the Crown in 2020. 

A year that has been so tough for so many, right around the world.  

Emma, a person who knows how to push through the pain barrier, and get to the other side and triumph. And who always remains so full of great spirit.