Aaron Barclay is a triathlete

Triathlon

A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...

 who represents New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 internationally. He competed at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics

2010 Summer Youth Olympics

The 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, officially known as the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games , were an international multi-sport event for youths that took place in the city-state of Singapore from 14 to 26 August 2010, in the XXIX Olympiad. They were the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics, a major...

 in Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

 and won the first-ever gold medal awarded for the boys' event

Triathlon at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics – Boys'

Boys' triathlon was part of the triathlon at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics programme. The event consisted of swimming, cycling, and running. It was held on 16 August 2010 at East Coast Park. The park is Singapore's most popular public beach and park; it is the venue of the Osim Singapore...

. Barclay also subsequently won a silver medal in the mixed relay event

Triathlon at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics – Mixed relay

4x Mixed Relay Triathlon was part of the triathlon at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics programme. The event consisted of a relay with each athlete performing of swimming, of cycling, and of running. It was held on 19 August 2010 at East Coast Park. The teams were made based on the results of the...

, competing for a team representing Oceania

Oceania

Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...

. The Games were the first time Barclay had competed outside of Oceania.

Biography and sporting record

Barclay had been portrayed as being "visually impaired" and "disabled" as he chooses to race without contact lenses, something his coach said the triathlete was able to overcome without problem. However, this was later revealed as being only semi-true. Barclay requires glasses outside of competition, and had jokingly claimed to be half-blind without them on a questionnaire athletes were made to fill out for Infostrada Sports before the Games, which was picked up on and transmitted as being fact.

At his first international triathlon meet in Gold Coast, Australia in 2009, Barclay finished only 31st, but he improved to finish second in the Oceania Youth Olympic qualifiers before winning individual gold at the Youth Olympics. He won a further silver medal in the mixed relay event

Triathlon at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics – Mixed relay

4x Mixed Relay Triathlon was part of the triathlon at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics programme. The event consisted of a relay with each athlete performing of swimming, of cycling, and of running. It was held on 19 August 2010 at East Coast Park. The teams were made based on the results of the...

, teaming up with New Zealand teammate

New Zealand at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics

New Zealand participated in the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore.The New Zealand squad consisted of 54 athletes competing in 16 sports: aquatics , athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, equestrian, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, table tennis, triathlon, weightlifting...

 Maddie Dillon and two Australian triathletes to represent Oceania

Oceania

Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...

.

Barclay will take part at the 2010 International Triathlon Union

International Triathlon Union

The International Triathlon Union or ITU is the international governing body for the multi-sport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and other nonstandard variations...

 Junior World Championships, before making a decision whether or not to turn professional. He considers Hamish Carter

Hamish Carter

Hamish Clive Carter ONZM is a New Zealand triathlete. He won the gold medal in triathlon at the 2004 Summer Olympics, his second Olympic games. Carter also competed on the International Triathlon Union World Cup circuit as a professional for many years, culminating in a silver medal in 2006 before...

, gold medallist at the 2004 Summer Olympics

2004 Summer Olympics

The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...

 event

Triathlon at the 2004 Summer Olympics

At the 2004 Summer Olympics, the triathlon events were held at the Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre. Fifty triathletes contested the female event on August 25, and the same number contested the male event on August 26, making up a total of 100 competitors....

, one of his heroes.