PHILLIP Island local Toby Pattullo is chasing his dream of representing Australia in the 2025 Deaflympics in Tokyo.
The marathon runner will be looking to head to Tokyo in November – a goal that has been 24 years in the making.
Having lost his hearing from meningitis at age four, Pattullo has approached every step of his life with determination and passion.
Pattullo’s sporting career began with basketball in the 90s, where he earned his spot in Australia’s Deaflympics team that competed in Copenhagen in 1997 and Rome in 2001.
As life went on, Pattullo became a web developer – a role he has held for 25 years – and started a family, so basketball fell by the wayside.
Instead, he turned his attention to running.
What started as a method of fitness turned into a passion that propelled him into competing in marathons and ultras.
“Running came into my life almost by accident. It started as a way to stay fit while working from home – just a stress reliever,” he said.
“After my daughter Ebony was born, it became bigger. I wanted to show her, and myself, what I could do.”
Last year, he entered the Gold Coast Marathon the day before the event, with no road training and having done a 66-kilometre ultra race a few weeks prior.
He ran the event in three hours and 11 minutes – a personal best that qualified him for Tokyo.
“That performance, combined with my extensive ultra-running background and monthly training reports I provided to Australia Deaf Sports, led to my recent selection for the 2025 Deaflympics marathon,” Pattullo said.
“Now, alongside Melinda Vernon (NSW) and Caine Batten (QLD), I’m part of Australia’s first Deaflympics marathon team, making history.”
He keeps up his training schedule through consistency and obsession for success and self-improvement.
“Some of the hardest battles are before the race even begins,” Pattullo said.
“I put a lot of time into making sure I’m training longest, recovering properly, eating well and checking in with myself.”
Pattullo said he is proud to don the green and gold, and his selection into the Deaflympics – now as a marathoner – feels like coming full circle.
Pattullo has reached out for support through a GoFundMe page.
Those competing in the Deaflympics do not receive government funding like other elite athletes and need to find their own methods of covering the costs.
Pattullo said the support from the community also helps him to stay driven, as contributions show the desire of others to see him succeed.
With a target of $10,000, the funds raised will go towards coaching and training, lead-up races and warm up events, running gear, shoes, nutrition and recovery, travel, accommodation and Deaflympics entry.
At the time of writing, the GoFundMe page had raised $5454.
Once in Tokyo, Pattullo aims to run a new personal best with a lot of heart and a strong finish.
“I want to make an impact, represent Australia, support my teammates and show the world what deaf athletes are capable of when we’re given the chance,” he said.
Pattullo also aims to inspire others to reach their full potential, build resilience and discover the best versions of themselves.
To support Pattullo’s journey to Tokyo, head to gofundme.com/f/from-courts-to-roads-my-deaflympics-marathon-journey.