Paris Olympic hopeful Aden Ekanayake in sevens heaven ahead of junior rugby trials for Waratahs

He’s the teen who dreamt of being an elite athlete but didn’t think he was good enough. Now he’s chasing a spot at the Waratahs after some special time with an Australian team.

Rugby teenager Aden Ekanayake. Pic: Supplied

Aden Ekanayake always wanted to be an elite athlete but at school didn’t think he was quite good enough to ever achieve the dream.

Now, just seven months after playing his first game of Rugby Sevens in earnest, he’s been a member of Australian youth teams at the world schools 7s and Coral Coast tournaments and invited to travel to two world series events with the senior Aussie sevens team to see first hand the dedication and grit required to be an Olympic prospect.

This week the former Barker College student and Gordon Highlanders colt is back on the field chasing selection in the Waratahs Academy squad being named in the wake of trial matches which conclude on Friday at Eric Tweedale.

The 18-year-old, playing for the Sydney Juniors side and who played his junior footy with Killara West Pymble, said his time with the Australian men’s sevens squad preparing for the Paris Olympics has been “special’’.

“I went on tour to Toulouse (world series event) and the London sevens as 14th man for the experience so I didn’t play,’’ said Paris Olympic outsider who was an injury call-up into the Waratahs Academy squad late last year.

Rugby teenager Aden Ekanayake. Pic: Supplied

“It was to give me some exposure to everything so hopefully when my time comes I won’t be fazed.

“It was a really good experience, really opened my eyes to how professional it all is.

“I haven’t been a part of a program like that before and it was special to see them taking care of their bodies, what they eat, the recovery that is needed to maintain yourself, how to get yourself up for a game and things like that.

“Seeing all this, it’s just made me hungry to be a part of it all.

“I know I need to bide my time and get more familiar with the sevens stuff but I love it. I love 15s as well but I feel more of a threat on the field in sevens.’’

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Ekanayake’s short term goal is to make the Waratahs Academy squad being selected from recent trials, including Friday’s six matches at Granville.

“It’s so important for Sydney to do our best,’’ he said.

“You want to impress as an individual but the best way to do that is with a good brand of team footy.’’

Ekanayake said he has been a “late bloomer’’ in rugby.

“I never thought I was good enough to have a future in rugby but I’m looking like proving myself wrong,’’ he said.

“I always wanted to be an elite athlete but at high school I wasn’t that good.

“I would try hard but I wasn’t really noticed or stood out. I was just a solid twos player.

“But I’ve worked hard to get faster and fitter.’’

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