Jana Pittman returns to Domain Athletic Centre and addresses incontinence conference

She came to Hobart for a national conference but the star athlete took time out to visit the place where her career started. Read the details.

Aust athlete (l-r) Cathy Freeman with Tamsyn Lewis, Jana Pittman and Lauren Hewitt and after winning women's 4x400m relay final at 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester 31 Jul 2002. flag

World champion athlete and doctor Jana Pittman has given the keynote address at a national incontinence conference — and also returned to her old stomping ground — the Domain Athletic Centre.

Dr Pitman posted a photo of herself trackside with the caption: “Blast from the past... in Tassie for a women’s health conference and found my old track!

“I won my first ever Aussie title here 30yrs ago!!”

She hash tagged the photo “greatmemories”.

Dr Jana Pittman back at the Domain Athletic Centre where she won her first Australian title 30 years ago. Picture: Supplied.

After a stellar athletic career, she became a doctor in 2019 and was in Hobart for the 33rd National Conference on Incontinence, attended by health professionals in bladder, bowel, and pelvic health.

Dr Pittman described the conference in Hobart as “amazing”.

“Honoured to be invited to speak an athlete, doctor and woman who has lived with incontinence,” she said.

“It affects 25 per cent of people and 38 per cent of woman, yet so many of us sit uncomfortably in silence.

“As many of you know I am pretty public about this stuff.. why because help exists and we all deserve it.. I hope by sharing my story it inspires others to be brave too and see their GP, gynae or physio!

“My pelvic floor physio asked the right questions and then we worked solidly for months to retrain my pelvic floor.. now it’s a check in and continue approach.. it still occurs but often related to poor timing of coffee before a run, being lazy with my exercises or just a wonderfully funny unexpected laugh!”

Dr Pittman, who has six children, said conference delegates were working hard to “raise awareness, find solutions and research underlying causes” of incontinence.

“So much inspiration and collaboration!” she said.

As an athlete, Dr Pittman specialised in the 400m event and 400m hurdles and was a two-time world champion in 2003 and 2007.

Sport Athletics Jana Pittman during the Womens 200 metre Handicap heat at Devonport

Devonport Carnival, Jana Pittman finishes the 200 metre heat

She also won gold at the Commonwealth Games as part of Australia’s winning 4x440m relay team.

Her Olympic career was beset by injury.

In 2014 she competed in the two-woman bobsleigh event at the Winter Olympics making her the first Australian female athlete to compete in both summer and Winter Olympics.