Career
He is a two-time participant at the Summer Olympics (2008 and 2012) and four-times at the World Championships in Athletics (2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015). He has competed at five editions of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. He was an Australian and Oceanian 10,000 metres record holder from 2009 to 2011.
Born in Carlton, Victoria, Birmingham made his international debut at the 2003 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, placing 84th in the junior race.
His first senior international race came four years later at the 2007 Championships. At the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships he took 73rd place and he participated in the 2008 Olympic Games in the 5000 metres event but failed to qualify for the final.
He came third at the Great Yorkshire Run 10K and made a half marathon debut at the Great North Run, running a time of 65:46 minutes. The 2009 season saw Birmingham break the Oceanian record for the 10,000 m with a run of 27:29.73 minutes in Berkeley, California.
He came fourth in the Emsley Carr Mile and was selected for both 5000 m and 10,000 m races at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics.
He failed to finish the longer race and came 16th in the 5000 m final. In 2010, Birmingham ran a 1500 metres best of 3:35.50 minutes, a 3000 metres best of 7:38.77 minutes and a 5000 metres best of 13:10.97 minutes. He was 83rd at the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and was chosen to represent Oceania in the 5000 m at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup, where he came sixth.
He ran in both 5000 m and 10,000 m events at the 2010 in Delhi, finishing sixth and ninth, respectively.
He represented Australia at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, but did not progress beyond the 5000 m heats. He entered the 2012 New York City Half Marathon and ran the distance in 63:10 minutes.
He set three track bests that year, recording 1:49.36 minutes for the 800 metres, 7:35.45 minutes for the 3000 m and 13:09.57 minutes for the 5000 m. His 5000 m best came in a runner-up performance at the London Grand Prix, although he was eliminated in the heats for that event at the 2012 London Olympics a month later.
He set his fourth personal best of the year at the Great North Run, reaching seventh place with a time of 61:25 minutes.
In August 2013, Birmingham attended the London Marathon Young Athletes Camp at Street Mary"s University College, Twickenham as a special guest and was interviewed by 80–90 potential future running stars. Other special guests who attended the camp were Andrew Osagie, Ross Murray and Mick Woods. 800m: 1:49.36 (Ballarat 2012) 1500m: 3:35.50 (Brussels 2010) Mile run: 3:54.30 (London 2009) 3000m: 7:35.45 (Stockholm 2012) 5000m: 13:09.57 (London 2012) 10,000m: 27:29.73 (Berkeley, New South Wales 2009) Birmingham is currently running 100 miles to 120 miles every week.
He currently lives in Australia but comes to England for 6 weeks in the summer to train.
Often at Street Mary"s University College, Twickenham in London. Also, he trains at Bushy Park – the second largest of the Royal Parks of London, at 445 hectares (1,100 acres) in area.