Forget jumping Jai, Tamworth’s newest athletics champion, throwing Jye, is hoping to go one better than the Olympic silver medalist after recently discovering a hidden talent.
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Tamworth’s Jye Millgate has already won the battle of a lifetime after losing his leg in an accident with a plate glass window over a decade ago, and now the Aboriginal health worker has his sights set on a Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold.
Mr Millgate was a keen rugby league player in the days before he lost his leg, and after recently trying a few sports he believes that he might have found his stride, on the athletics field.
“When I first did it I didn’t really see many other amputees around or playing any sport so I got into a bit of swimming,” Mr Millgate said.
“I have been doing a bit of training in the gym with the Soul Brothers program and was ken to get back into my sport.”
“I went to a wheel chair basketball come and try day but it is difficult to get into a team and regular competition around here.”
That is when he took up an invitation to an athletics talent identification day in Sydney late last year, and after getting all the tests done the organisation got back to him and the athletics journey began from there.
“They said that athletics would suit my skills and so after Christmas I decided to just get into it and I signed up to the Tamworth club.”
That was only one month before he took overall second in the throwing disciplines at a gala day in Armidale, before taking the advice of Tamworth coach Adam Jolliffe and heading to the Sydney Open to compete against others in the same category as himself.
At the Classic Mr Millgate launched a 30.53m throw to take out the javelin, before nailing a third in the shot-put and a fourth in the discus, qualifying in all three events for the National Championships in just his second attempt at all three disciplines.
“I just went out for a couple of throws and to have a look and went pretty well,” Mr Millgate said.
“It is all a bit raw still but javelin was definitely my best.”
“From nationals I can get selected in the Aussie team – I have three years to train before Tokyo.”
While the dream of competing on the world stage is motivation enough to get into training and keep practicing the idea to get back into sport and sports clubs began much closer to home.
“I have got three kids and they look up to me as their father,” Mr Millgate said.
“I just want them to see that I am doing stuff and getting up and having a go. I am just really glad I did it.”
The National Championships will be held in Sydney at the end of March.
