How NRL Souths star Latrell Mitchell secretly helped talented athlete realise Paris Games dream

Just as he did during his secret flight to a stricken Aboriginal community for Magic Round last week, NRL superstar Latrell Mitchell has once again reached out without fanfare to help Indigenous youth.

And this is not just any child he decided to help.

Superstar in the making Telaya Blacksmith could be a star in the 400m like Cathy Freeman – or follow in the footsteps of Danielle Ponter of the Adelaide Crows, depending on the sport she chooses.

The 15-year-old is equally adept at both footy and athletics and while she is currently being tutored at Swans Academy, she is also training to run the 400m in Paris at next year’s Paralympic Games.

Blacksmith will head to France next week to represent Australia at the Virtus Global Games, a run-up to next year’s Paralympic Games in Paris and her trip is being funded in part by Mitchell

Mitchell learned about her dual exploits through friends in the Northern Territory.

He sprang into action immediately and just like he did with the small Aboriginal community of schoolchildren on Cabbage Tree Island on the north coast of NSW, he quietly reached out.

Mitchell is passionate about helping young Indigenous sports talent privately – and often does so while trying to avoid publicity

“He donated money to help her get to France,” Telaya’s proud father Ryan told Daily Mail Australia.

“Like others, which we’re very grateful for, but Latrell definitely reached out wanting to help her after reading about her backstory.”

And that backstory is incredibly compelling.

A student at Sydney’s Endeavor High – a school dedicated to gifted athletes – Blacksmith was born in Western Australia and is a proud woman of Warlpiri descent in the Northern Territory.

Her family moved to Sydney’s Sutherland Shire six months ago and now runs for the mighty Sutherland Athletic Club, which also counts Commonwealth Games 1500m champion Olli Hoare among its stars.

Along the way, her loving parents guided and stood by her when tests revealed she suffers from a neurological condition she has had since birth.

Blacksmith is a member of the Sydney Swans AFL Academy and she is as talented in footy as she is in athletics

That qualifies her as a T-20 athlete — a classification that broadly covers athletes with intellectual disabilities but, at the Olympic level, prohibits runners from competing in major competitions in the 100m and 200m events.

“That’s because they say don’t think in those races, just get out there and go hard,” said Telaya, who is still learning the ropes of Freeman’s favorite event, the tough 400 meters.

It’s the race Telaya will contest at the Paris Paralympics, thanks in part to Mitchell’s generosity.

Her coach, Jacinta Doyle, says Blacksmith is more than capable of winning a medal.

“She is an incredible holder of the Australian national open T-20 records in the 400m at 15, along with the Under 20 Australian records in the 100m, 200m and long jump,” said Doyle.

“She is also very competitive down to the state level in her own age group and she competes outside of the T-20 class against all girls her own age.

“Look, to be honest, she’s just a natural athlete, but the 400m isn’t an event she’s particularly fond of.

Mitchell kicks goals off the pitch while helping Indigenous communities while actively trying to avoid publicity for his efforts

“She goes out too early or sits back and waits too long to run home, but she’s already run 61 seconds and is just two seconds off Australia’s tough qualifying time to automatically make the Paralympic team.”

Those two seconds are within her grasp and she will be flying off in two weeks to race at the Virtus Global Games in Vichy, France as part of her preparation for the Olympics.

Even if she somehow falls short of the 59-second qualifying time, the Paralympics may choose her based on her potential and the fact that she holds the record in Australia.

Her current personal best of 61 seconds would not have won the T-20 gold at the last Olympics, as that was a fast 55 seconds, but her 61 would have made it to the final.

“I have about a year to get faster and I know I can do it,” said a confident blacksmith.

And if she doesn’t, the AFLW beckons.

“She loves the AFL and the clashes, but she has some big athletic events to focus on right now,” her father said.

Mitchell comes into the picture through an Australian Sports Foundation fundraiser set up to raise money to get Telaya to the 2023 Global Games and then to Paris for the Olympics.

He was a substantial contributor to her cause.

And he did it without fanfare, which is quickly becoming his hallmark in reaching indigenous youth.