Moloney plea to athletes

AS an Olympic bronze medallist, Ash Moloney knows the first step of a race can often be the hardest one to make.

But the Brisbane athlete is adamant he wants to see more kids in North Queensland make the giant leap of faith that saw him achieve a childhood dream of medalling in Tokyo.

While he is far from done on his own journey, vowing to be back on the world stage as early as next year, Moloney has turned his attention to the next generation this week as part of a North Queensland roadshow.

It brought the 21-year-old back to where it all began, hosting a seminar with young athletes on the same track he faced the starter’s gun in his first ever decathlon.

The tale of that fateful race in which he forgot how many metres he had travelled and finished with a lap to go in the 1500m, is one he hopes can inspire the next generation.

In the same spirit he showed when he became the first Australian decathlon medallist at the Olympics last month, Moloney had picked himself up off the canvas at Townsville Sports Reserve and finished that final lap despite every fibre of his body begging him to stop.

It was a valiant performance that formed the backbone of a decathlon career that saw Moloney crowned World Junior champion three years later, Oceania champion in 2019 and now Olympic medallist.

“I was absolutely crawling to the finish line, I was screwed. My coach said it was the funniest thing he had watched. I definitely finished it, it just wasn’t the most graceful finish,” Moloney said.

“It was my first decathlon. It was a bit of rude shock, but I loved it.

“Honestly I had no idea it was going to eventuate into the Olympics. I keep coming back (to Townsville).

“My first Open decathlon was in Townsville, and I also competed here at the Oceania Championships and won my first Oceania medal here in 2019.

“It is really cool (being an Olympic medallist) but it is only just the beginning of my journey. I want to win gold one day, I don’t want to finish on just third. I am hungry for more.”

Moloney admitted there has been times in his short career when he has struggled to take his place at the starting blocks.

The 400m at Tokyo was one of those moments.

“I didn’t want to run that 400m, I was absolutely fried. But all I had to do was get to that line and start that race and all those negative thoughts were out of my mind,” he said.

“I just want to get across to the kids, sometimes it is about literally just taking that first step.

“I want to inspire the North Queensland athletes to have a go. For me that is what it has always been about. Having a go and getting to the line.

“I also don’t want them to get complacent. A lot of people get complacent. The kids who are naturally good athletes, there will always be other kids who are trying to beat them. The kids who train hard and put the effort in will be the ones who make it to the top.”