Club mourns young surf champion

The president of a surf life saving club that has lost a young competitor says the boy’s mates are devastated.

The body of Matthew Barclay, 14, was found at Kurrawa beach on Queensland’s Gold Coast on Thursday morning.

He disappeared during a board event at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships on Wednesday afternoon.

Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club president Tim Ryan says the Sunshine Coast club is mourning the loss of a great kid and a future surf life saving champion.

“All our hearts go out to Matthew and Matthew’s family who are such a major part of our community,” Mr Ryan told reporters on the Gold Coast.

He said Matthew was a champion junior surf life saver who had won Queensland medals and was identified as a future champion of the sport.

He said the club was part of a tight-knit community and there was deep sorrow for Matthew and his parents.

Club members competed together and socialised together, he said.

“… today we are grieving together,” Mr Ryan said.

He said 120 members of the club’s touring team were at Kurrawa and were supporting each other.

“We thank all our buddies in Surf Life Saving Australia who searched tirelessly for our mate,” he said.

He said that included volunteer surf life savers, emergency services staff and police.

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