We find out a little more about the 21-year-old Auckland speedster, who in March was crowned national senior men’s 200m champion.
Why would you encourage anyone to try athletics?
Because it’s such an amazing way to develop all different types of skills from speed to jumping , throwing and also general fitness. These are all skills which you can take with you to other sports later in life, so for this reason, I would definitely encourage young athletes to give it a go.
Who was your first coach and how did they influence your career?
My dad was my first ever coach and he has had a massive influence on my athletics career. He’s always told me that I have potential to run fast and has backed me 100%. He’s also been an amazing mental coach, making sure I’m always in the correct mindset even following any setbacks or bad days. He always puts things in perspective for me and reminds me that I run for the pure love of it.
What are your athletics weaknesses?
I’m a very picky person, so I definitely tend to look at things I’m not so good at, but I think my biggest weakness would probably be not having enough patience and understanding that things don’t happen in a day and sometimes you need to slow down to actually speed up.
What is the funniest things you’ve seen on an athletics track?
It would probably have been to have seen me run an 800m when I was younger – when I went backwards from first to last in the final 200m. It was rather embarrassing and although the experience was definitely a good laugh…I’d never run an 800m again!
What is your favourite athletics session?
The shorter the better. I love to run fast in training, so it would have to be 1x60m maxs V 1x70m maxs V 1x90m maxs V with five minutes recovery.
What is the greatest thing you’ve witnessed in an athletics stadium?
It would probably be watching Eddie Nketia run 10.22 to win Australian nationals. For him to take out all the top Australian sprinters was something else – he’s an awesome dude and to see him win was super cool!
Who has been your toughest rival?
I would say Hamish Gill. I’ve been racing him for years now and I know it is always going to be a good race when I line up next to him.
If you could star in another sport which sport would it be?
Either an NBA player because of the fact I’m so short (haha) or a sevens player. I love to play sevens and I have considered taking it up seriously in the near future, so we will see what happens.
When travelling to a meeting what is the most important item in your suitcase?
I always make sure I keep my track spikes and uniform in my carry on.
What is your greatest regret?
Knowing when to stop and rest. I have picked up so many injuries in the past due to fatigue.
Who is the person who most admire?
I wouldn’t say there is one person that I admire most. I admire people I know who are willing to place themselves out of their comfort zone to try something new or be prepared to help others. To me, there is nothing more admirable then that.
What are you most scared of?
Probably getting told off by my nana, that is something seriously scary!
What is your favourite movie and why?
The Harry Potter series because during my childhood there was nothing more exciting than watching the latest Harry Potter movie with friends.
When was the last time you looked at your athletics medals?
A couple weeks ago after nationals when I took my medals round to my nanas for her to put away. It was such a good feeling to realise how far I’ve come and also how much more there is left still to chase.