Run, jump, swim, tackle - 16 year-old Lachlan Rice of Canowindra has excelled at all.
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He can now add competing in wood chop at the highest level to his long list of sporting achievements after taking out the Junior Development Program event at the 2024 Sydney Royal Easter Show.
Lachlan also made the final of the under 18, 250mm Underhand Handicap before finishing third in the under 21 Underhand Handicap, results which saw him called into the NSW Under 21 relay team, helping secure a bronze medal for the team.
Canowindra was also represented at the Sydney Royal by Adam Sunderland who was part of the bronze medal winning Mid Western Axemans team in the club relay event in the sawing.
To cap off a successful Sydney Royal Lachlan teamed up with his father Matt in the Parent and Child event.
"It was his first year," Matt said.
"In 2020 we trained for a full year and then COVID stopped everything a couple of week's beforehand.
"It was always on my bucket list to chop at Sydney Royal so we went in the parent and child comp. We didn't come last," he said.
A short preparation was the reality this year with Lachlan being part of the Western Rams rugby league squad and spending a lot of time training for athletics, another sport he is excelling in.
"He only got cut late from the Rams squad after which we changed focus to the woodchopping," Matt said.
"And then he finished with a silver medal at state athletics for the Triple Jump. So we're off to the National Athletics Championships (this month)."
Lachlan warmed up for the athletics with a win in the wood chop at the annual Blayney Show, taking out the open handicap event.
Matt says Lachlan probably first picked up an axe as an eight year-old competing regularly on the local circuit.
His junior development win saw him receive a new axe valued at more than $1000.
"That was unreal and we learnt a heap," Matt said.
"He started Sydney Royal as a reserve for the U21s relay team but after they saw him chop and beat one of the others in the team they put him into three teams which was pretty exciting."
The question now is does he chose athletics, football or wood chop.