ATHLETICS: In just a few short weeks, 89 of Australia’s best and brightest young athletes will head to Nanjing, China for the second summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) as part of the Australian Youth Olympic Team (AYOT).
Joining them will be South Australian teenager Declan Carruthers.
The 16-year-old will be flying high in the Pole Vault, as part of a 20-strong athletics outfit hoping to clinch gold at the YOG.
“I am extremely excited about meeting thousands of new people from all over the world, learning about different cultures and new languages,” Carruthers said.
“It will be the most amazing atmosphere”.
The YOG will be a new and exciting addition to an already impressive resume.
In 2014, the All Schools Championships gold medallist showed he is a force to be reckoned with, taking the gold medal in the under 18s Junior National Championships.
While there, he also equalled the meet record with a vault of 4.85m, a result that ultimately booked him a flight to Nanjing.
If that wasn’t enough, he also took home a bronze medal in the under 20s division in the same competition.
Just like most other track and field athletes, Carruthers’ story began at Little Athletics, where it didn’t take long for him to show his skill.
“I was always interested in the jumps, like high jump and long jump, but also had quite good speed for my age,” he said.
“At the end of my first session I fell in love with the event, seeing all the older vaulters bending poles, going over high bars and floating in the air attracted the sport even more to me.”
Now, four years after moving to pole vault, the YOG lies just around the corner.
Though the YOG will be a challenge like no other, Carruthers is confident he’s in a good place just weeks away from taking to the field.
“So far I’m very happy with the form I am in leading into the Youth Games,” the teen said.
“I have been working really hard on some faults in my technique and it is slowly all coming together.”
Regardless of his results at the Games, Carruthers’ inclusion the AYOT meant the world to his family and friends.
“The reaction given by my family was amazing, they were so supportive. My friends were so excited when hearing I was announced in the team. I got a lot of support and congratulations from everyone,” he said
As well as trying to juggle training and competing, the teen is currently in year 11 and studying for his South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), but he appears to be managing the work load.
“My teachers are being very helpful giving me extra time to get on top of things and giving me work and heads up of what ’s coming up for me,” Carruthers said
While many athletes may look to continue on the sporting path, Carruthers aspires to be a chiropractor.
“I have always loved learning about the human body, from a very young age. I am a more hands on person and love interacting with people.”
The second summer Youth Olympic Games commence in Nanjing, China on Saturday 16 August and run for 12 days.
Sam Rawlings
Olympics.com.au
@AUSOlympicTeam
