At 13 years old Caiden Macfarlane is an Olympian in the making.
A running sensation, he last week ran a personal best of 4 minutes and 23.25 seconds in a 1500m race at Olympic Park in Sydney.
It was the youngster’s first involvement in a major adult meet and Caiden passed other runners to come second behind a Victorian competitor.
Clint Black, the lad’s coach for the past six years, said he had big hopes for Caiden.
“He got interested after seeing his brother Chevy running,” Mr Black said.
“He’s at the point where he must make incremental gains in his teenage years.
“It’s not so much about winning but more about aiming to improve his PB every year.
“He loves it, he’s really getting into improving his body weight and he’s totally committed.”
Caiden’s grandmother, Lilian Santa Cruz from Woodridge, said he is already talking about which events he wants to compete in at the Olympic and Commonwealth games.
“He’s a very determined kid,” Mrs Santa Cruz said.
“His Dad Liam was a good soccer player and I believe that’s where Caiden got his talent.”
She said Caiden is very stubborn and she put that down to Scots and Latino blood in his ancestry.
Caiden spent his early years in Logan before moving with his mum to Ormeau where he took up a scholarship at Rivermount College.
He gets plenty of support from his family but help from a local sponsor would be great, Mrs Santa Cruz said.
Councillor Teresa Lane is one of Caiden’s enthusiastic supporters.
She said costs of travel, accommodation and health support all added up and Caiden is no exception in that regard.
“As most parents of young athletes know, grants from all levels of government are small and limited, and there is a huge call from parents in communities across Queensland so competition for financial assistance is fierce,” Ms Lane said.
She said to achieve his goals of representing Australia Caiden needs support from a local sponsor who will back his travel costs to athletic meets in Queensland and interstate.
“He also needs support from a sports physiotherapist with time to take on a pro bono client,” Ms Lane said.
“He has the love and support of his extended family but if he is to succeed more assistance is needed.”
Caiden’s great-grandfather and Woodridge resident Juan Santa Cruz is a great believer in kids getting active and playing sport and totally supports Caiden’s dreams of international competition.
