Gurpreet Rai (Gogi) a 24 year old athlete from Whittlesea City Athletic Club (Epping) has won the Bronze medal in the Men’s Decathlon Open category of the 2016 Victorian Multi Track & Field Championships held on 20th & 21st February at Tom Kelly Athletics Track, Doncaster.
The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events held over two consecutive days. It consists of – Day 1: 100 metres, Long jump, Shot put, High jump, 400 metres and Day 2: 110 metres hurdles, Discus throw, Pole vault, Javelin throw and 1500 metres. The winners are determined by the combined performance in all based on a points system. Gurpreet overall scored 6387 points.
Gurpreet has a degree in accounts from LaTrobe University. He has recently enrolled for a Masters in Teaching at RMIT University. Gurpreet says that he loves athletics and one day wants to share his talent and love for it with school kids as a coach.
Gurpreet’s parents migrated to Australia from Punjab twenty-eight years ago. Gurpreet’s mother, Paramjeet Rai, says that she is proud of her four children who all are athletes. Her daughter has represented Australia at various international events. Paramjeet says Gurpreet had asthma as a child but has successfully overcome this hurdle and pursue what he loves. She hopes that one day he will achieve success at both the national and international level and make Australia and Indian-Australian community proud.
Gurpreet says that Indian-Australian parents should encourage their children to look beyond studies or cricket and participate in athletic events.
