Student athlete set to compete in Australia
This summer Nickolas Childs, a two-sport student athlete at East Forsyth High School, will have the opportunity of a lifetime, when he travels to Australia to represent N.C. and the United States in the DownUnder Track & Field Championships.
The annual DownUnder Championship is designed to showcase talent from across the country on a global stage. In 2016, nearly 300 athletes from the U.S., New Zealand and Australia competed in the competition and this year Childs was invited to represent N.C. When he got the news that he had been chosen to compete, Childs, who will compete in the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash, said he was shocked.
“I know I’m pretty well-rounded in track, but to get that invitation to represent the state of North Carolina is a blessing. It shows that my hard work has not been in vain.”
Childs, who has been running track and playing football since the age of 6, is no stranger to hard work and it’s starting to pay off. Last year as a sophomore Childs posted his best times in the100m dash (10.9) and the 200m dash (22.9). On the gridiron, Childs ended the season with more than 800 receiving yards and seven total touchdowns.
He’s also getting the job done in the classroom. Childs’ currently holds a 3.5 grade point average, which has drawn early attention from several colleges.
During a recent interview, Childs said he lives by the motto, “Be great or be forgotten.” He said he got the saying from motivational speaker and author Eric Thomas.
“He talks about the importance of being great and the importance of hard work paying off. The product is always more important than the process.”
The DownUnder Track & Field Championship is scheduled to begin on July 8. Childs said when he steps on the track in Australia, win or lose he’s going to give it all he can. He said, “I owe it to myself my family and all my coaches to give it all I got and show that I’m ready to eventually compete internationally.”
When discussing her son’s success, Yolonda Childs said she was just as excited as Nickolas was when she got the news. She said, “I say it was a blessing because we’ve made a lot of sacrifices. This in itself is a huge sacrifice.
“The countless hours of getting up going to AAU track meets. We’re now starting to see that pay off. Although I know this isn’t the end all be all, I know this can be the start of something great.”
The Childs family has started a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the flight to and from Australia. For more information on how to support Nickolas, contact Yolanda Childs by phone at (336) 926-1070.
