News & Updates

The recently crowned New Zealand senior men’s pole vault champion has enjoyed a breakthrough 2018-19 domestic season. Here the 20-year-old Auckland-based vaulter, who advanced to number two on the all-time New Zealand rankings with a mighty 5.50m clearance at the Australian Championships last weekend, answers our Five Minutes With questions.

What is your best athletics quality?

I’ve got a standing box jump PB higher than all of my friends. I will claim it until I die!

Why would you encourage anyone to try athletics?

It’s great fun being surrounded by different disciplines. The other events are often incorporated into our training as well which makes training really dynamic, plus we have a whole bunch of different types of athletes to meet and train with which is pretty wicked.

Who was your first coach and how did they influence your career?

My first pole vaulting coach was Doug Balcombe, an American bloke who intermittently trains pole vaulters at AUT Millennium. He was probably one of the most enthusiastic and encouraging people I’ve ever met, he had a particularly strong focus on the enjoyment aspect of pole vault which I feel like I’ve carried with me ever since. Enthusiasm for me has proven incredibly useful.

What are your athletics weaknesses?

I don’t have a whole lot of flexibility and I’m blatantly built for distance but fortunately, Jeremy’s unbelievably good at writing programmes for athletes so we’re in the midst of sorting that out.

What is the funniest thing you’ve seen on an athletics track?

Pole vaulters trying to run 600m reps (myself included).

What is your favourite athletics session?

Vaulting, always.

What is the greatest thing you’ve witnessed in an athletics stadium?

I’ve not been to any major events yet but I watched Eliza (McCartney) jump the World U20 Record at Mount Smart (Stadium), which was genuinely surreal.

Who has been your toughest rival?

Nick Southgate has always been significantly better than me but as the sport is small in New Zealand he has been the closest thing to a rival I’ve had. This season, when he was coming off an injury, we had a good few competitions where it was 50/50 on who would win, so that’s been pretty exciting. Whether that’s how it will be next season remains to be seen.

If you could star in another sport which sport would it be?

If I could be a pro surfer I’d be all over that.

When travelling to a meeting what is the most important item in your suitcase?

My headphones, I get a little sulky when I forget them.

What is your greatest regret?

I’m of the firm opinion I should’ve learned piano when I was younger, it hurts me to think about it.

Who is the person you most admire?

As I grow older I’ve found that more and more I really admire my parents, they barely see me a lot of the time while I’m at uni, work or training but they support me unconditionally. They’re both super smart and are just unreal people that I’m incredibly lucky to have been raised by.

What are you most scared of?

Country music.

What is your favourite movie and why?

I don’t want to admit this but many of the vaulters already know my secret. My favourite movie is La La Land, the music is ridiculously well composed and the story is incredible.

When was the last time you looked at your athletics medals?They’re hung up behind where my computer monitor sits just behind my desk, so I actually look at them every single day. They’re a really pleasant reminder of why I’m striving to do what I do.

***James Steyn plans to compete in the Huawei P30 Vertical Pursuit which takes place on Federal Street in the Auckland CBD on Saturday April 13 from 1pm. The event is free to the public.