Jason Lawren on one hundred.
Hey, Quin's here in the newsroom. Quint, you head to Paris later today for the Olympics and you might be on the plane with our next guest.
The road to becoming an Olympian is tough and one our next guest knows a lot about. He's a Melbourne boy who was previously in the Hawthorn Footy Club Youth Academy. He ranked first in the world in twenty twenty for the under eighteen hundred and ten meters hurdles. He won gold at the twenty twenty four Oceania Athletics Championships in Fiji. He is the third all time fastest Australian hurdler and he'll be representing Australia at the Paris Olympics. Please welcome
to the show, TAYLORB. Willis, Hey talent.
Morning morning.
It's quite a resume.
Yeah huh, yeah, it's skyrocketed in the last year.
What are you?
I'm twenty one.
I hate our achieving young people.
I hate young successful people.
Quenton.
So what were we all doing at twenty one?
We were smoking down seven eleven?
I still, hey, Taylor, I mean at twenty one, you're still such a young man. How old were you when you decided this was your dream to go to the Olympics and to be an Olympic hurdler.
Yeah, ever since I was a little kid. Honestly, probably ten years old.
What are you packing in your suitcase? We asked Harry Garside this same question, and he had some rogue things he's taking with him, just things that make him feel like he's at home.
Yeah. I've got a good luck toy I've had for probably five years. It's like this little mini mouse. She's a bit dirty. She's been everywhere. She's been Fiji, Canada, every state in Australia, she's been everywhere, everywhere. Trouble I put her up and then she just gives blessings in the room. It's a bit weird to me.
Yeah, your lucky charm.
Yes, it is my lucky charm. I'll tell you.
I'll tell you what It'll be weird. You got to share rooms over there. When the flatmate walks in and sees the bloody mickey mouse sitting on the legend might be a bit gay.
Do you know who your roommate is yet?
No?
I do not, which I'm excited for that because this is my first big international comp so whoever it is, I'll probably get along with them. So hopefully it's like someone like Peter Ball Slide something like that.
And what's competition's finished? Hopefully you know you're gonna have a medal around the neck? Are you allowed to stay on? You haw to indulge in some Paris activities, go out to the clubs.
I definitely wanted to do that because all seasons been just bed at ten thirty, locked in.
Everything that same same.
I would Paris before.
No, it is my first time going to Europe, so I'm excited. That's so cool.
Hey, I'm not sure if the rule is still in play, but I remember many years ago chatting with Stephanie Rice when she brought back all the medals in the swimming, and the rule was if you won gold or silver, I think it was, you've got to guarantee business class.
Playing the way back?
Really?
Yeah, you get a middle when you're down the back.
Yeah, you get a medal, get upgraded. Have you heard about this? I haven't heard about this. Maybe they think I'm not in contention, but no, no, no, no.
No no, you'd only find out afterwards. But that's motivation, isn't it just a little bit fast?
I would love to see you on the podium with gold around your neck. And the one thing you chant is.
Also, can you not guarantee that, Jason, you might have made that up?
Yeah?
No, no, no, that's very excited.
Was many years ago?
Well, Taylor bowlby in Paris? So how about where you hit the town once you finish competitions. Don't roll your eyes.
Jase, only if you have a turn at the hurdles. First you have to put on those little running shorts.
I have seen him jump many of those velvet ropes to get into a nightclub. Hey Taylor, good on you mate. This is a dream come true for you at twenty one, young Melbourne kid, you know, going to the Olympics. It's such an awesome story.
I appreciate that, Taylor.
Is anyone going with you? Did you take your mom or anyone in your family? Or are you just over there on your own?
Yeah? So I've got my coach, Kyle Vandericutt, he's Australian record holder. I've got John Stevenson, who's my mentor.
He'll be in the clubs after the r definitely.
And then yeah, my physio as well. Sam Leslie's I got my whole team there, and then I'm bringing my partner because she's been a massive support this whole season. And then she's really close to my sister so she would come as well.
Where's going to watch from?
Yeah?
So because my mum's a single parent, she has to take my little brother and he actually has autism, so she has to kind of support him. So we really wanted her there, but we're trying to think what's the actual smarter option because it's obviously going to be packed there and busy him be a lot for him, So she may be just supporting from home, which is okay. She's in spirit everything, but I'll still have family members and my partner.
I have no doubt you will hear your mum, all, I definitely will.
Can you imagine being a parent? What your twenty one year old child at the Olympics. Oh amazing. She must be so proud of.
You, mate, I'm proud when the kids put their own seat belt on in the car. Imagine seeing the games. What was the moment like when you told you mum, I'm in Ah.
She cried and it was crazy because she's she's heard me since I was a little kid saying I want to be here. I want to be Olympics. I want to be there, and she's had to sacrifice so much to get me here. Like I remember training, things like that, I'd be thirty minutes late to get to the car. Everyone's going, I'm like, trust the process. There's a reason why I'm always late. I'm recovering things like that. And yeah, she's dedicated like her whole life to benefiting all of
our kids. So with me making it here, it's like a little bit of a like a thank you, you know.
She sounds like an amazing man.
Yeah, and a great kid. Mate. We wish you the best over there.
I appreciate that's I'm excited.
Cheering you all the way.
Absolutely, i appreciate it.
And when you've got John Stephenson and klinstant Away in your corner, I'll possibly grow. Oh yeah, right to get step On as well. Let's get him on.
Arms listening right now, go, My boy's going to come back. Thanks for coming in, mate, I appreciate that.
Thank you.
It's gonna be a good Jason Lauren, Jason Lauren wake up feeling good on Nomber one hundred, Jason Lauren on socials,