Few Australian athletes embody resilience quite like Alexa Leary. Once a rising triathlete, she nearly lost her life in 2021 after a devastating crash.
Today, she is a Paralympic gold medallist, motivational speaker, and advocate for brain-injury awareness, a woman whose journey reflects strength, family, and quiet love.
Early Life and Background
Born on 18 August 2001 at Nambour General Hospital, Alexa grew up on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast with her parents, Russ and Belinda Leary, and siblings Madison, Ashtyn, Max, and Jack.
She attended Good Shepherd Lutheran College and began swimming competitively at seven.
Outside of sport, she enjoyed art and photography, while her mother played an active role in shaping her early sporting ambitions.
In her teens, Alexa switched from swimming to triathlon and soon joined Triathlon Australia’s development squad under coach Craig Walton. She quickly became one of the country’s top junior athletes, ranking among the best under-19 competitors in the 2019 World Triathlon Grand Final in Lausanne.
The 2021 Accident That Changed Everything
On 17 July 2021, during a training ride near Pomona, Alexa’s front wheel clipped another rider’s, sending her crashing at nearly 70 km/h.
Her helmet split on impact, and she suffered a diffuse axonal injury, blood clots, fractures, and a punctured lung. Doctors gave her a five percent chance of survival.
She spent 111 days in hospital, including six weeks in a coma and two brain surgeries at Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
While Alexa fought for life, her family launched the Move for Lex campaign, a community movement that raised funds and awareness for traumatic-brain-injury recovery.
Rehabilitation and Return to Sport
Alexa’s recovery was grueling. She relearned how to walk, talk, and eat, supported by speech, occupational, and physical therapists.
Swimming became part of her rehabilitation and gradually reignited her competitive drive.
By late 2022, she had joined the University of the Sunshine Coast High-Performance Center under coach Jon Bell.
Reclassified as an S9 para-swimmer, she turned rehab into triumph:
- 2023 World Para Swimming Championships (Manchester) – Gold (100 m Freestyle S9, 1:00.83 world record) and Silver (50 m Freestyle).
- 2024 Paris Paralympics – Two Gold and one Silver medal, cementing her status as a national hero.
Will O’Dwyer – The Supportive Partner in Recovery
Before her international comeback, Alexa shared a heartfelt relationship with Will O’Dwyer, a fellow triathlete who stood by her through the darkest phase of her life.
Will featured on the Move for Lex podcast (2022), describing Alexa as “the toughest person I’ve ever met.”
Their relationship symbolized loyalty and faith; he was there during surgeries, hospital stays, and early rehabilitation.
As Alexa regained independence and refocused on swimming, the pair separated amicably in 2022.
Friends said the breakup was respectful, allowing both to pursue individual goals while remaining on good terms.
A New Chapter – The Rumored Boyfriend Marcus
By mid-2024, attention shifted to a new name, Marcus.
In a Courier-Mail (Stellar Magazine) feature ahead of the Paris Games, the article noted:
“Her family will be joining her in Paris – as will her boyfriend Marcus.”
Lifestyle publication Feast Magazine later called Marcus “a very sympathetic and helpful person who keeps her calm through long training blocks.”
Who is Marcus?
- He is reportedly a non-athlete, described as supportive and down-to-earth.
- Thought to be from the Sunshine Coast, part of Alexa’s friend circle before their bond deepened in 2023.
- Acts as a quiet companion who helps her maintain balance through competition stress.
- No confirmed details exist about his age, profession, or income, and he has no public social-media presence.
Despite the growing curiosity, Alexa has never publicly confirmed their relationship.
All references come from credible but limited 2024 media mentions.
Privacy and Personal Growth
In her Stellar Magazine interview (Sept 2024), Alexa said,
“I’m proud of my story, but some things are just for me.”
That mindset defines her approach to love and fame. She shares training clips, advocacy work, and family milestones – but avoids posting anything about her relationships.
This privacy reflects a shift from her early years with Will, when their support for each other was openly visible.
Her relationship with Marcus appears to represent calm, stability, and emotional grounding, contrasting with the public intensity of her recovery story.
2025 – Focus on the Future
As of March 2025, Alexa continues training at the USC High-Performance Center, preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics.
She remains active in road-safety campaigns and brain-injury awareness, visiting schools and community events.
There have been no further public updates about Marcus, and no confirmed photographs of them together.
Her energy is directed at performance, purpose, and inspiring others through her message:
“If I can, you can.”
Conclusion
Alexa Leary’s story is one of extraordinary resilience, a woman who turned tragedy into triumph and guarded her private life with the same quiet strength that fuels her success.
Whether supported by family, friends, or a private partner like Marcus, her journey reminds Australians that love, courage, and determination often shine brightest off-camera.
