Gatton high jumpers Aden and Geordie rank in Australia’s top five high jumpers for their age group

One is left footed, the other right, but they share the same goal – World Junior titles and the quest to be better than the other.

Gatton brothers Geordie and Aden Cowdroy. PHOTO: Ali Kuchel

The Cowdroy brothers couldn’t be any more opposite in their quest for high jump glory.

Geordie trains three times a week and jumps off the left.

Aden has barely trained since coronavirus halted athletic carnivals around Australia and jumps off the right.

But the Gatton brothers do have two things in common – their outstanding performances at the Australian Athletics championships and their drive to outdo each other.

Aden, 16, finished third in his age group jumping 2.03m, while Geordie, 14, finished fifth in his class with a jump height of 1.78m.

The Lockyer District State High School students represented the Lockyer Athletics Club at the championships in Sydney last month, with Geordie saying the experience was exhilarating.

“When I first got there, it was kind of nerve wracking but when I got into the competition it was good,” Geordie said.

Gatton brothers Geordie and Aden Cowdroy. PHOTO: Ali Kuchel

“Usually at states there’s a few people that clap if you clear it, but there it didn’t matter how low it was everyone would clap.”

Aden still hasn’t grasped his achievement and was overwhelmed at the sheer size of his rivals at Sydney’s Olympic Park.

“When I rocked up, I was the smallest in the competition, there were people 6’10. I was looking up at them and thought this is not happening. I’m only 5’11,” Aden said.

Aden was the second shortest in his age group but jumped into third place.

Although they don’t compete directly against each other, the brothers said it was good to travel to carnivals together.

Both have a goal to qualify for World Juniors.

Aden which requires a qualifying height of 2.16m and hopes to stay ahead of his younger brother.

“I get picked on, they say ‘he’s catching you, later on you won’t stand a chance’,” Aden said.

But for Geordie, it pushes him to perform and train harder.

“I’m not naturally good at high jump, I’ve been trained into it,” Geordie said.

“It gives us both motivation because I don’t think he wants me to catch him, but I want to.”