McGroder jumps to U20 World Athletics

Serving up both quality and quantity from down under to the world, Australia's athletics boom will be in full swing as the nation's rising stars follow in the footsteps of their Olympic counterparts in Paris just weeks earlier, spurring the next generation towards Brisbane 2032.

Featuring 35 women and 33 men, the team strikes a balance of experience and excitement - the youngest of which is Long Jumper McGroder.

It's not just the Sutherland Shire girls who are making giant strides in their athletic careers, McGroder jumped an incredible 7.73m to win the National U20 Long Jump Championships in Adelaide but with the athletics season over he has now switched to AFL training with his Maroubra Saints and Sydney Swans Academy teams.

In Adelaide McGroder won the U/17 Long Jump, U/17 400m and also won the U/20 long jump as a 15yr old and has qualified for the upcoming U/20 World Championships in Peru.

He also won a silver is the U/18 4 x 400m relay.

He is ranked number one globally for his age and the age group above ( U/17 and U/18 ) in the long jump.

The Trinity Grammer School athlete has been winning National Athletics Long Jump and Triple Jump for six yrs, with State and National Meet Records.

Last year he also made the 2023 15 Years and Under Australian Football All Australian Boys Team.

McGroder said he joined Sutherland Little Athletics when he was a kid and just fell into it.

"I've been doing it for just a bit of fun and sport but now I obviously have the chance to take it a lot more seriously.

"Who knows hopefully I can make a career out of it?"

In Adelaide last month McGroder, who holds a triple jump championship record, turned his attention to the 400m and long jump, claiming both titles within an hour.

Taking just two effort in the long jump, he leapt 7.32m to win by 53cms. Resting in the later stages of the event, at the conclusion he immediately walked to the 400m start and took that title in 49.37 seconds.

"It's pretty cool to get the Under 20s qualifier, I had a good comp out there. All the boys were getting PBs but I had to come out with something special," he said

McGroder will also have to choose one day between Athletics and his budding football career as a ruckman.

McGroder who is 194cm tall said cross training for the AFL actually led to his 400mtre running success.

"At the moment I'm playing at everything I can-so I don't have to choose just yet."

Sutherland Athletics Club Steeplechaser Mia Toohey (NSW, Jacinta Doyle) and the Kirrawee High,St George Athletics Club High and Triple Jumper Izobelle Louison-Roe (NSW, Karen Roe) have also made the South American bound team.