The 18-year-old, who plays for the Hamilton Kangaroos and Greater Western Victoria Rebels, has also proven he is a serious runner.

Cleaver dominated at the School Sport Victoria Secondary Track and Field Championships held at Melbourne.

He won the 400 and 200-metre event and came third in the 100, with his time of 11.3 seconds being just two seconds off Olympic pace.

But he admitted he is not sure when or if he will give athletics a serious go.

"I am still very surprised so I haven't thought too much of it really, but I've been talking to people to find out more about it since it isn't a very big country sport," he said.

"I just did the school athletics because being house captain I thought I couldn't really get kids to have participate if I wasn't going to and just went from there up the levels.

"Footy is definitely still my main focus for sure, but now that athletics has come up it is now part of the back up."

Cleaver’s story is one that sounds like a potential script for a Hollywood movie.

The Baimbridge College student sees himself as just a boy from a country town who is a natural runner matching it with the state’s best.

Though he said his performances at Melbourne even came as a surprise to him.

"I was very shocked," he said.

"These athletes that are in full latex have coaches and train four nights a week.

"Here I was, I never trained was borrowing a mates spikes, never used starting blocks before and had no clue about tactics, so I was ready to be smashed. 

"But after listening in on coaches tactics I made my own and that was to just run fast."

Cleaver, who stands at 180 centimeters and weighs in at 80 kilograms, was not the only person surprised by his results.

The talented footballer attracted the attention of a Victorian coach who was also surprised, but equally impressed.

"He saw me run at the championships and a few days later gave me a ring and asked why I didn't want to further my athletics with nominating for nationals and other big comps," he said.

"I explained that I didn't know you had to or that there was even other stages.

“Then he came across and said your personal coach should of been pushing you and I'm sure that your athletics team would have signed you up for them all.

"As I replied I don't have a coach and haven't done athletics since grade four, he was shocked and lost for words."

Cleaver, who was unable to attend nationals last week, said he would start to race more.

“I missed out because of exams on Friday and CBL basketball on Saturday, he said.

"But I will be going up to just the weekly event in Melbourne.”