This is the story of Raiko Stenkovic, a refugee from Bosnia
who now lives in a small Australian country town with his mother and haunting
memories of his father. Raiko runs. In the few years that he's been in
Australia he has already made a name for himself in middle distance events
such as cross country and steeplechase, and now has his sights set on the
biggest prize of all, the Olympics. This novel follows Raiko's quest for Gold.
But in doing so, it also looks behind the scenes, at all the other people in
Raiko's life.
So More than Gold is not just a sports story. It's
many stories. There's a story of ambition and determination. There's a story
of personal struggle, of leaving an old life and starting anew. There is also
one of friendship and loyalty, and one about loss and grief. And through it
runs a story about growing up. The book weaves together the tales of one boy,
of two best friends, of a mother and son, and of a whole community that stands
behind them.
