Mitchell Starc’s brother Brandon to compete in high jump at Rio Olympic Games

AUSSIE cricketer Mitchell Starc will have more than Sri Lanka’s batsmen on his mind during the third Test in August. His younger brother will be competing in the high jump in Rio.

Brandon Starc in action.

ON day three of the third Test at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club on August 15, Australia’s fast bowler Mitchell Starc will have more than just cricket on his mind.

Starc’s younger brother Brandon, 22, will be competing in the high jump at the Rio Olympics.

“My brother is going great guns,” Starc told the Herald Sun this week from Sri Lanka.

“He’s over in Europe at the moment doing some competition before he goes into the Australian camp in Florida.

“He’s enjoying it. Who wouldn’t be, going to their first Olympics?

“I will be keeping a close eye. Unfortunately I won’t be able to get over there and have a look.

“I’m very, very proud of him and I’m sure he’ll do great in the Olympics.”

Starc said he “had a crack” at the high jump during his school days.

“I thought if I did any good at it I could get a couple of extra days off school and go to the next level,” said Starc, 26.

Australia's Mitchell Starc will have his hands full in Sri Lanka during the Olympics. Picture: AFP

“I wasn’t any good after that. I stopped in Year 12.”

Starc was the player of the tournament when Australia won the 2015 World Cup — cricket’s showpiece event.

“The World Cup in Australia, that was an unbelievable experience for our players and our staff,” Starc said.

“That was such a huge moment and a pinnacle in our sport.

“From my brother’s perspective, the high jump at the Olympics on the world stage, hopefully winning a medal, that’s as good as it gets.”

Brandon, who is competing in Belgium this week, was a finalist in the 2015 world championships in Beijing.

Brandon Starc hopes to make a big impression in Rio. Picture. Phil Hillyard

His hobbies include collecting sneakers and posting photos of them on Instagram.

He rates Mitchell as the best sportsman in the family.

“I’ll give it to Mitchell,” Brandon told huffingtonpost.com.au in April.

“I look up to him. He’s achieved a lot.

“He was a little chubby when he was younger. We all did athletics when we were kids.

“I just don’t think his interest was as high as cricket.”

Brandon has a personal best of 2.31 metres, which he recorded last year in Beijing.

“If I jump 2.30, 2.32, 2.33, then the others might start to worry a bit,” he said.

Originally published as Mitchell Starc’s brother Brandon to compete in high jump at Rio Olympic Games