At only 10 years old, Lachlan Chappell is leading the pack in Athletics, racking up the medals and smashing records as his talent shines brighter than ever.
Chappell displayed an incredible performance at the School Sport Australia Athletics Championships, representing St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School in Tasmania in late November.
After picking up an injury in the first race of last years championships, Chappell was even more determined to achieve his goals:
“Being injured was really tough, but it made me more determined to work hard and come back stronger this year.”
Not only did Lachlan secure five gold medals in the competition, in the 1oom, 200m, discus, shot put and 4x100m relay but he also was able to break two Australian records.
In the 200m race Chappell achieved a groundbreaking time of 26.03 seconds and threw an incredible 45.18m in the 500g discus throw. We spoke to Chappell about how he was able to break these records:
“I have been putting in a lot of extra effort and working really hard at training to be able to break these records,” he said.
Chappel then went on to tell us how winning gold medals isn’t always at the forefront of his mind when it comes to athletics:
“My favourite part of athletics is meeting new friends and competing against great athletes.”
Chappell’s mother, Belinda, told us that although his achievements are one thing to be proud of, the relationships he has build with his friends, coaches and fellow competitors is what she is most proud of. When speaking with Belinda she told us that:
“After every event he shakes hands and maintains a humble attitude. It warms my heart to see that he is equally excited for his friends when they win. His sportsmanship and humility make his achievements even more special.”
Belinda then went on to discuss the sacrifices Chappell makes and how the long drives and hours at practice are always worth it:
“It becomes entirely worthwhile when I see Lachlan’s dedication and hard work paying off, and witness the joy he experiences from continually improving himself.”
So what’s next for Chappell? He’s not stopping here and has even greater goals to work towards as his sporting career continues:
“My main goal is to work hard to get more PB’s and compete in another Australian titles next year. In the future I would also love to represent Australia, but I know I need to continue to work hard for the moment,” he said.
Share this post