You could say Michael Barber was born to run.
“I just love it, just, you know. I feel I could go forever and ever with it,” said Michael Barber.
Considering his family history, Michael’s passion for pounding the pavement makes perfect sense. After all, his dad Gary Barber competed in the 1990 Commonwealth Games, and decades before that, a distant cousin even captured hurdles for Olympic gold in 1932. For Michael, he’s been following in his family’s footsteps from day one.
In a video taken by Gary in 2008, Michael expressed his big dreams at just eight years old.
“In the future, when I’m 20, I wanna go to the Olympic Games,” said Michael after winning the 2008 TC 10K Kids Run.
“We look back at that film fondly and it’s a wonderful memento,” said Gary Barber, who also coaches Michael along with two-time Olympian Bruce Deacon.
To this day, Michael remains as driven as ever to accomplishing his goal.
“Oh yeah I’ve had that dream every year [since] the day I was eight years old and said I’m gonna train super hard until that day,” said the 20-year-old, who lives with autism.
“Autism carries some challenges that are unique to that person,” said Gary, who says autism plays a role in Michael’s approach to running. “Some ways, it’s a strength as well because it really fuels him to that sort of continuous path of improvement.”
“I train six days a week and one rest day in there, and three or four days a week I train two runs and two strength sessions a week in there as well,” said Michael, who captured a World Junior Championship in the 1500 metre.
The Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games are now slated for 2021 after they were postponed due to COVID-19 and Michael is determined to represent his country and fulfil the promise he made to himself twelve years ago.
“Only eleven months to go, just keep training hard and just keep chasing your dreams,” he said.
Kevin Charach
