Rising decathlete Ashley Moloney from UQ Athletics Centre makes the world under 20 championships

Rising decathlete Ashley Moloney does not have to look very far to seek advice from a world-class athlete when training at the UQ Athletics Centre. He just has to look over his left or right shoulder and Cedric Dubler is likely to be there.

Ashley Moloney in action.

Rising decathlete Ashley Moloney does not have to look far to seek advice from a world-class athlete when training at the UQ Athletics Centre.

He just has to look over his left or right shoulder and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Cedric Dubler is likely to be there.

To Moloney, Dubler is a training partner and mentor. “He is like a big brother,’’ Moloney said.

When Moloney competes at the world under 20 championships in Finland during July, he will have Dubler on speed dial if needed.

“I call him up because he has all the experience. I talk to him about how to handle the pressure. He is like my mentor at the track,’’ said Moloney.

With Dubler in one corner and his coach Eric Brown in another, Moloney has trusted allies surrounding him.

He trusted Brown the day the world renowned multi event coach turned him from a high jumper into a decathlete at the end of 2015.

Jimboomba junior Ashley Moloney with his coach Eric Brown at UQ.

At the time Moloney said “I could not image myself running more than 100m’’.

“When I was a kid I’d run 200m and start walking,’’ he smiled.

“But I gave it (decathlon) a crack and I really enjoyed it. Like a marathon it is not fun while you are doing it, but the stigma around it is fun.

“The 400m, I actually enjoy it now. It is just the 1500m I have to wrap my head around, but it will come with time,’’ he said.

Moloney, 18, said he never stops learning from Dubler.

He said watching him push through injury get a javelin throw away to clinch a bronze medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games was something in digested. “It was really inspiring,’’ Moloney said.

Moloney said he was treating the world under 20 event like any other tournament.

“I am treating it like any other event because that is where athletes go wrong. They do something different and they end up hurting themselves or not competing well,’’ he said.