MARK Oliphant College (MOC) Year 9 student Maenda Maenda could well be the fastest 14-year-old in Australia.

The fourth of six children Maenda, who is aiming to compete at the highest level in sprinting, emigrated to Australia from the Democratic Republic of the Congo with his family in 2011. They have been living in Munno Para West for about three years.

Maenda has already been dubbed as the “Australian Carl Lewis”; along with along with modern heroes such as Usain Bolt, former US sprinter Lewis happens to be one of the athletes he idolises By the time Maenda reaches his prime as a runner, in his early to mid-20s, that will be between the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and 2028 in Los Angeles.

“Olympic and Commonwealth Games is where I am aiming to compete,” Maenda said. He broke the Australian and state junior under- 14 100-metre record with a time of 11.10 seconds.

His best time in the 200 metres is 23.00 seconds and he also competes in the demanding 400 metres event.

Maenda sticks to a strict training schedule, focusing on improving his race starts to get closer to the 10-second barrier in the 100m.

“I need to get faster out of the blocks,” he said.

“I also need to work on my endurance beyond 150 metres in the 200-metre races.”

Maenda is working with his coach Rick Wilson at the Saints Athletic Club and recently received the most outstanding athlete award in his first year of serious competition.

As unlikely as it sounds, if his athletics career does not take off, Maenda is studying hard. He wants to work in forensic psychology and possibly sport psychology and has started to think more about psychology in his own training and competing.

Running started out as just a bit of fun. When Maenda was in Year 2, he was surprised to beat Year 4 students at school sports day.

Maenda said he was finding the right balance between serious focus and having fun.

Member for Light Tony Piccolo met Maenda recently at Mark Oliphant College and was his impressed with his quiet determination.

“Maenda is a very modest young man who understands the barriers he might face to get to the Olympics, but is willing to work hard to achieve his goals,” Mr Piccolo said.

“He is very grateful for the opportunities the college is providing him and wears the sense of responsibility with pride. His teachers speak highly of him and describe him as a ‘deep thinker’, and ‘reflective’.

“He certainly presents as a very emotionally and mentally mature young man. I am concerned the lack of financial resources might be a barrier to him being the best athlete in the world, which would be a tragedy for both him and our community.

“I would welcome the opportunity to have a discussion with any potential sponsors.”