Darcy Miller stars at Australian track and field championships scoring three gold medals

He only took up athletics to get a day off school. Now this cheeky youngster has taken home a slew of gold medals from the Australian Track and Field Championships.

SA athlete Darcy Miller in action at the 2021 National Athletics Championships. Miller returned Picture: Supplied, David Tarbotton

From taking up athletics to get a day off school, to building a shotput circle in his backyard by hand – talented teen Darcy Miller has come along way.

The SA field athlete is becoming one of Australia’s best after winning three gold medals at the Australian Track and Field Championships this month.

Miller claimed a gold medal in the under 18 boy’s national shotput and discus events, as well as in the under 20 men’s discus at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre.

The Year 12 Mercedes College student threw 60.25m in the under 18 discus before a new personal best and state record in the under 18 shot put with 18.88m.

“I was really happy with my results,” Miller, of Lower Mitcham, said.

“It’s a great feeling representing my state and club and I still feel as excited now as I did that first time.

“I remember I was in primary school and it was coming up to the SAPSASA athletics and one of the teachers said to me ‘if you get into the team, you get a day off school’.

“That caught my attention.

“I really enjoyed the sport for the first couple of years but really only started taking it seriously when I was 14.

SA athlete Darcy Miller (C) at the medal presentation for the under 18 men's discus event at the 2021 National Athletics Championships. Picture: Supplied, Athletics SA

“It was about 20-30 minute drive to any really local athletics track for me to train, so I asked my dad, Graeme, if I could dig my own ring in the backyard and pour the concrete.

“I did that – it took about four hours to dig the hole then I put the concrete in and used that as my training ground for a while.”

Miller, now 17, used the homemade shotput ring to train until he put a shot through a back window.

The Saints Athletics Club member said his triumph in the under 20 men’s discus event was one of the proudest moments of is career so far.

“With under 20s it’s a heavier weight, and I have only really thrown that once or twice in my life,” Miller said.

“It was just a bit of a preparation event for me because I knew it would be a good competition against the older boys so I wasn’t really expecting much but it was a big thrill.”

Miller credits his coach Steve Larsson for his strong form.

The 17-year-old is studying four subjects instead of the regular five at school this year as he juggles training with homework, and continues to work toward representing Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

“On top of my technical training, working with my coach, I train four times a week and he’s been unbelievable,” Miller said.

“Also my training group, we are all great mates, we all really push each other and that helps all of us perform.”