Australian pole vaulter Brodie Cross can expect a wealth of support when he heads to Singapore for the Youth Olympic Games having recruited several family members to come along as a personal cheer squad.

Laurel Cross and her husband Alan have been travelling Australia for the past few years watching their talented grandson rise through the national junior ranks. 

From their home in Melbourne, Mr and Mrs Cross have visited Sydney twice, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart, each time as an important part of the Team Cross cheer squad.

But Singapore will be the first time the Cross family take their support abroad.

“As soon as Brodie found out he was going to Singapore he called me and said, ‘Nan, you had better start saving some money’, and we took that as an invitation to come along,” Mrs Cross said.

“My husband and I love getting along to watch Brodie and we know he really appreciates that his family come along, he’s definitely not ashamed of us oldies.”

Unsurprisingly, Mrs Cross spoke very highly of her 16-year-old grandson, who she described as “a wonderful kid,” and “very special”.

“Brodie really isn’t an ‘I am’ kid or anything like that, he’s very thoughtful and everyone just loves him,” she said.

“Making the team for Singapore is remarkable really when you think about it with so few places in the team and so many talented young people out there competing. We are very proud of what he has achieved.”

And while there is little doubt that global travel is one of the perks of having a champion sportsman for a grandson, Mrs Cross suggested only time would tell if she would one day have the chance to see Brodie compete as an Olympian in London or Rio.

“It’s a big wide world out there so who knows what will happen. We are just happy to be able to go along and watch him do his best,” she said.

Elliot Woods
AOC