In two months Kyle Cranston will be one of the track and field athletics team members at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
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Kyle’s journey started when he joined Mulwaree Goulburn Little Athletics as an under nine-year-old.
His parents took him to the regional carnivals and as an under 13, he represented the ACT in javelin and shot put at the nationals. As an under 15 athlete Cranston represented the ACT in the pentathlon at the nationals.
Athletics became Cranston’s major sporting interest after he suffered a broken fibula which put him out of playing rugby union for Trinity Catholic College.
He had been pretty much an all-rounder at sport playing, cricket , rugby, soccer and basketball which he also played at state competition level.
When he reached under 18s, Cranston decided that he wanted to direct his sporting training toward the decathlon following on from his Little Athletics exposure to multi event competition.
The decathlon is 10 track and field events run over two days. Day one starts with the 100 metre sprint, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400 metre run.
The next day they compete in the 110 metre hurdle, discus throw, pole vault. javelin throw and finally the 1500 metre run.
Cranston headed to the USA for a year at North Carolina University. It was a year of mixed fortunes, where he won bronze in both the outdoor and indoor combined events at the ACC Conference Championships. In an injury plagued year he decided to return to Australia to pursue his athletics and studies.
“I am studying a Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science at the Australian Catholic University at Strathfield. I am in the final stages of the course,” he said. “I am also coaching myself for the decathlon at the Commonwealth Games.
“It has been a long hard road to get this far. I train six days a week and I only have Sunday off to rest and relax.
“An ankle strain in November slowed my preparation for the Nationals. It is full tilt now, building slowly so I peak for the games. I will be perfecting technique and working on precision.”
“It is not long now till we head into camp in the last week of March then into the village on April 2. I am really looking forward to the opening ceremony on April 4. I wouldn’t miss it.
“The decathlon is early in the track and field program on April 9 and 10.”