Waynead travelled 13,000kms to achieve his dream.
Waynead, a 21-year-old from the remote Indigenous community of Aurukun, has faced many challenges growing up. Despite these challenges, he embraces the opportunity to wake up early each day, put on his running shoes, and hit the red dirt tracks for his morning run around the town. In doing so, he is literally defying the tide of disadvantage and carries within him the hope that he can inspire other young First Nations people to chase down their dreams as he has.
Waynead is now a proud marathon runner, a title he recently earned and is justifiably incredibly proud of. He completed his first marathon in Alice Springs in 2021, and in 2022, he travelled over 13,000kms from his regional hometown to Greece, where he successfully ran the gruelling 42km Authentic Athens Classic Marathon.
Waynead first began his journey in 2014, when he walked into PCYC Aurukun for the first time. Here he found a safe space, a wealth of support services with a big focus on sport and recreational activities for young people. The club aims to help combat anti-social behaviours and keep youth engaged with their community. Waynead soon realised the PCYC was the kind of place where he mattered and could chase his dreams, while making a real impact in his community.
‘Walking into PCYC Aurukun that day changed my life for the better,’ he says. ‘They gave me a safe place to come to, they’ve helped me achieve my goals and we’ve had so much fun along the way’
Help change the lives of young Queenslanders by supporting PCYC Queensland.
Each and every ticket sold will help us to:
- Grow our youth development programs to reach even more at-risk, disadvantaged and disengaged young people
- Grow our Indigenous programs, working closely with local communities in some of the most remote parts of Queensland
- Maintain our presence and impact from the Gold Coast to Cape York in building safer, healthier communities.
