The countdown is on for one young Mooroolbark athlete who will be living out his Olympic dream in Paris.
And while the nerves and excitement are building for hurdler Tayleb Willis, his mum Christine is feeling all the emotions too.
“I’m pinching myself, if it’s actually real or not, because it’s something he’s always wanted since he was a little kid,” she told Star Mail.
“He’s just always said ‘mum, I will get to the Olympics one day’, and the fact he’s done it at the age of 21, it’s just remarkable.”
Proving his ability as hurdler from as young as seven-years-old, Christine said he was born to compete in this sport.
Finding incredible success as a junior, the transition to senior and open competitions was slightly more challenging but the persistence and determination Tayleb showed, Christine said, was extraordinary.
“He lives, breathes and sleeps hurdles. That’s just all his life. He won’t do anything else. He never misses a single training session. If he’s sick, he still won’t miss it. Injured, he doesn’t miss, he will never miss, and he will go above and beyond,” she said.
“He just would never settle for anything less. He just had to go do a little bit more than everyone else and that really shows his determination to be the best hurdler ever.”
Coming into the Olympics off the back of a win at the Oceania Championships and reaching his personal best in Canada, which cemented his place in the Games, Christine said Tayleb, in the scheme of things, is still relatively new to the adult competition height.
“Tay’s only been used to the proper height for 12 months whereas the people versing at the Olympics, some of them have been at that height for 11 years. So they’ve had 11 years to get used to it. Tay’s had 12 months to get used to it.”
But Christine said this in a way sets him apart from the rest of the cohort competing in the 110m hurdles event because “he’s got that hunger for it”.
“He’s just so eager to go and show the world what he’s capable of, and every time he goes to compete, he’s just getting quicker and quicker and quicker.
“Whereas I know some of the athletes he may be versing, maybe some of them have already had their peak, like whereas Tay hasn’t had his peak yet, he’s just continually getting quicker and quicker.”
Tayleb’s first heat is scheduled for 3.50am (Australian time) on Sunday 4 August, making it around 7.50pm the day before in Paris.
Having followed his older sister Lateisha into the sport, who if it wasn’t for injury would have been going for her own maiden Olympic campaign, it seemed fitting that she would be in Paris for his first Olympic Games.
Unfortunately, Christine said the cost of getting to Paris for herself and her two other children made it impossible, so instead they’ve put up posters and banners around Mooroolbark to invite the community to celebrate Tayleb’s hurdles attempt.
“I told my youngest two kids that we’ll get up early to watch it and celebrate,” Christine said.
Seeing her son make it to the Olympics, to live out his dream and knowing that all the hard work, effort and sacrifices has been worth it, Christine said, has made her extremely proud.
