A SHORT film about Beaudesert boxing sensation Clay Waterman is due to air on SBS free-to-air channel NITV’s Our Stories on Tuesday.
Canberra based independent filmmaker Nevanka McKeon said the film was titled Clay Waterman and was a behind the scenes look at the athlete’s life and sporting journey.
“I was thinking about what an incredible young man he is, and not just for his boxing talent,” Ms McKeon said.
“There is so much more to him than people see in the boxing ring.
“People may not know that he gives his time to mentor young people. Often you see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders depicted in a negative light and then along comes someone like Clay Waterman.”
Ms McKeon said when making the documentary she had access to footage of Waterman delivering boxing gear to young people on North Stradbroke Island. The equipment included Waterman’s old boxing gear as well as some gear from former world champion boxer Sharon Enyos.
“He and his family all took the time to do that off their own back,” she said.
“Clay is very smart, modest and community-minded, with a very supportive family”
Ms McKeon said the 14 minute documentary was about how Waterman got into boxing, how he became a world champion and six-time Australian champion and catches up with the in the lead up to last year's Commonwealth Games, where he earned a bronze medal for Australia.
“We would have loved to include footage from the Commonwealth Games but that couldn’t happen,” Ms McKeon said.
“The film was shot at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra and at Clay’s family home in Logan.”
Waterman, who does most of his training at home with his father Mark as his coach, said he had not thought it was a big deal when he was asked to take part in the film.
“I was blown out of the water when I found out it was going to be on television,” he said.
“It’s awesome. I haven’t seen the film yet, none of us get to see it until it’s on TV.
“It’s really not that big of a deal but I guess it will be interesting for people who don’t really know me and want to find out what I’m like, a few things about my life.”
Waterman said he would be watching the film at home with family and friends when it goes to air on NITV, channel 34 on Tuesday, January 15 at 7pm.
