KYLE MCINTOSH is headed to Thailand next year to compete in a prestigious event for athletes with intellectual impairments from across Asia and Oceania.
The Woolgoolga runner will represent Australia at the Virtus Asia Oceania Games, to be held in Bangkok, Thailand in February and March.
Hosted by the Sports Association for Intellectual Disability of Thailand, this prestigious event will provide high-level competition opportunities for athletes in classes II1, II2 and II3 across a range of sports.
Kyle will be competing in both the 1500m and 5000m track and field events in Bangkok.
He heads to Thailand on the back of winning the NSW state title at the State Cross Country Championships in Nowra, and a third-place finish at the National Cross Country Championships in Ballarat.
He is supported by Sports Inclusion Australia, which supports athletes with a mild intellectual disability, Down Syndrome and Autism.
The Australian representative couldn’t wait to wear the green and gold in Thailand.
“Being selected to wear the green and gold for Australia is always the greatest honour, but this trip to the Virtus Oceania Games in Bangkok is incredibly special because it is my eighth time representing my country,” he said.
“To sustain this level of elite distance running over eight separate national team tours means the world to me, it is proof that all the gruelling hours of training are paying off.
“I am looking forward to the fierce competition on the track, there is nothing quite like the feeling of standing on the start line of a major international final, wearing the green and gold, and testing yourself against the absolute best distance runners in the Asia-Oceania region.
“My main aim is to stand on the podium in both the 1500m and 5000m and bring home the best possible results for Australia and the Coffs Coast.”
He thanked the support he had received from Sport Inclusion Australia and others to help make his dreams of representing his country come true.
“The support from Sport Inclusion Australia (SIA) has meant absolutely everything to me,” he said.
“Quite simply, without them, I wouldn’t have had the platform to become an eight-time international athlete. “Representing your country is a dream, but SIA is the organisation that turns that dream into a reality by managing our classifications, building the pathways, and organising the elite tours that allow us to race on the global stage.
“What makes SIA so special is that they don’t just select you for a team; they make you feel like you are part of a massive, supportive family.
“Traveling to overseas championships like Bangkok can be intense and overwhelming, but SIA provides an incredible network of staff, coaches, and managers who look after us every step of the way.
“I wouldn’t be here without my amazing local support network—especially my coach, Andrew Rowlings, who builds my training schedules, the team at The Physio Movement (TPM) in Woolgoolga for keeping my strength and conditioning locked in, and my family, who are with me every step of the way.
“I’m ready to head to Bangkok, hit the track, and bring home the best possible results for Australia.”
He encouraged anyone with an intellectual disability to give sport a go.
“My biggest message is simple: just go for it, and don’t let anyone set limits on what you can achieve,” he said.
“Taking up a sport changes your life in ways that go far beyond winning medals.
“When I first started running, I never imagined it would take me around the world eight times.
“Sport gives you a purpose, keeps your mind and body healthy, and teaches you how strong you truly are.
“Every time you cross a finish line or master a new skill, your confidence grows.
“But the absolute best part of sport is the community.
“You will make lifelong friends, meet incredible coaches, and find a place where you truly belong.
“It doesn’t matter how fast you are or where you start—even the best athletes in the world started with a single step. “Find a sport you love, show up, have fun, and be proud of who you are, you might just surprise yourself with how far it takes you.”
By Aiden BURGESS
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