Lachlan Chappell is leading the pack in athletics. At only 10 years old, the St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School student is breaking records as his talent shines brighter than ever.
Most recently, Chappell displayed an outstanding performance representing NSW at the School Sport Australia Athletics Championships 2023, held in Tasmania in late November.
At last year’s PSSA State championships, Chappell was injured in his first race and was left unable to compete.
This only pushed him harder and made him more determined to achieve his goals this year.
“Being injured was really tough, but it made me more determined to work hard and come back stronger this year,” he said.
Incredibly, Lachlan secured five gold medals at the competition, in the 100m, 200m, discus, shot put and 4x100m relay.
His success didn’t end there—he is officially a two-time Australian record breaker.
Chappell made history for his time in the 200m race, achieving a groundbreaking time of 26.03 seconds.
Not stopping there, his 500g discus throw of 45.18m cemented him as an Australian record-holder.
Reaching these milestones isn’t a quick and instant process. Chappell attributes his success to the time put into training and his determination to practice.
“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.
Chappell’s mother, Belinda, notes that at the end of the day, after the long drives and even longer hours at practices, the sacrifices are all 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,” she said.
“It’s a bonus being able to proudly say that I’m the parent of the fastest 10-year-old in Australia.”
However, for Chappell, smashing records and taking home gold is only a fraction of what athletics is all about.
His motivation to join athletics at six years old was not driven by success, but rather, he saw all his friends doing it and wanted to join in on the fun.
Four years later, Chappell’s values of camaraderie and friendship are at the front of his mind and are materialised in his interactions with others.
“My favourite part of athletics is meeting new friends and competing against other great athletes,” he said.
The achievements are one thing to be proud of, but for Belinda, her son’s relationships with his friends and competitors alike make her proudest.
“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,” she said.
So where to next for Chappell? His never-ending motivation inspires him to keep going and working towards higher and greater goals 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.