Clifford was diagnosed with juvenile macular degeneration at a young age, meaning his central vision is blurred and he requires guidance in some races.
But this hasn’t stopped the young runner from becoming one of Australia’s best athletes, as he has dominated 1500m events in para and able-bodied competitions.
Shepparton Little Athletics president Aileen Zanelli said Clifford was the perfect role model for young athletes in the Goulburn Valley.
Zanelli believes his mix of talent and a respectful nature make Clifford an excellent athlete for the children to look up to.
“Jaryd was just delightful and he was so obliging,” she said.
“Everybody was silent, they were really impressed with him. He was a great ambassador for Coles’ Little Athletics, for Victoria and for us.
“He spoke about how he got into it (athletics), his experience at world championships and the Paralympics.
“He also went through his training methods. He was asked about how he plans his race. He explained how he takes off and what he does to stay focused during the middle part of the race.”
With the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics on the horizon for aspiring athletes everywhere, Zanelli said an elite sportsperson like Clifford coming out to speak with the children about what it took to be an athlete was invaluable.
“He was a Little Athlete himself at Diamond Valley Centre in Melbourne. So (he spoke about) how he evolved from that up to top-level competition and they (the children) were all really interested in that because most kids there are aspiring to go further,” she said.
“He passed his silver medal around and different kids had their photo taken with the Paralympic medal around their neck and photos with him.”
Next up for the Seymour, Shepparton and Nagambie athletes are the State Track and Field Championships on March 10 and 11.
