A TALENTED sportsman from Cornwall is making waves on the international stage after securing a place on an elite high-performance programme in Australia.

Eighteen-year-old Alex Caddy, from Looe, is currently spending 10 weeks at the Root Academy in Adelaide, where he is developing his cricket skills alongside emerging players from around the world.

Alex is already well known in Cornwall as both a competitive swimmer and a successful club cricketer.

Training is central to his progress in both sports and Alex is once again applying for support from the GLL Sport Foundation (GSF), which provides funded athletes with free access to GLL leisure facilities nationwide.

“GSF support means I can train whenever I need to,” Alex said. “Having access to gyms and pools has really helped my swimming and allowed me to prepare properly for Australia.”

The programme at the Root Academy is demanding, covering technical, tactical, physical and psychological aspects of cricket. “It was a real challenge at the start,” he said. “But now I’ve adapted, I’m loving every minute of it.”

Back in Cornwall, Alex plays for Menheniot-Looe Cricket Club and played a key role in the team’s division three league title win in 2025. He has been playing competitive cricket for around five years and trains at least twice a week in the county.

Alongside cricket, Alex is also a committed swimmer with Caradon Swimming Club, training up to five times a week and qualifying for both regional and national competitions this year.

Looking ahead, Alex plans to attend university in September, where he hopes to compete in British Universities and Colleges Sport events in both disciplines. “My goal is to progress onto national or international pathways, or into a career in sport,” he said.

In 2025, 144 Cornwall-based athletes across 23 sports received £92,150 in GSF support, with applications now open for 2026.