National champion London bound
Matthew (right) running the national 800m in 2012
Up and coming athletic talent Matthew Silcocks has set his sights on the pinnacle of his sport, having been selected to represent Australia in the 2012 London Paralympics.
Matthew, currently in the second year of his Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts double degree at Monash, will compete in the men's athletics 800m and 1500m events at the Olympics after qualifying with a triple gold medal haul at the Arafura Games in 2011.
Having only taken up the sport in 2009, the 19-year old from Mount Waverley, promptly won two gold medals at the Australian Underage AWD Championships in the same year before backing up with three gold medals at the same Championships in 2010.
“Getting picked for London was a great feeling and to see all the hard work over the domestic season pay off was really rewarding,” Matthew said.
“I was in good form and able to maintain strong performances across the Australian domestic season which secured my Olympic qualification and I hope I can win at least one gold medal.”
Coached by Richard Huggings, Matthew said he holds tremendous respect for all of his training partners at Knox Athletics Club who have supported him on his journey to be the most successful Paralympian of all time.
As an elite athlete with a demanding schedule, Matthew benefits from the Elite Student Athlete Support Program at Monash which allows him the flexibility to combine his sporting commitments with his academic workload.
“I get extensions on all of my essays and assignments, which is helpful when I’m focusing on training for the Olympics,” Matthew said.
Matthew competes in every race with a four-leaf clover taken from his garden and hopes this routine will help in his quest to be the best.