Anna Steven competing at the 2021 Jennian Homes New Zealand Track & Field Championships (Photo: Alisha Lovrich)
We turn the spotlight on to the 20-year-old Auckland Para sprinter and 2019 World Para Athletics 200m T64 finalist.
Why did you start athletics?
I was inspired to give athletics a go by the performances of the New Zealand Paralympic team at Rio in 2016 (and it also meant that I could get a cool looking leg)!
What was the last piece of athletics advice you received?
My coach telling me to relax.
What has been your career highlight?
Competing in the 200m final while representing New Zealand at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai.
What has been your athletics low?
Requiring surgery to fix an injury.
Where do you see your athletics career ten years from now?
I would love to still be involved in the sport, either competing or as a coach (or both!), and hopefully having represented New Zealand at the Paralympic Games.
What is your greatest mistake in athletics?
Getting distracted from my own journey and development because I compared myself to other athletes’ progress and performances.
Which athlete is the most interesting to follow on social media?
Morgan Mitchell, because she always seems to be getting up to interesting things and posts a good mix of athletics and other areas of her life.
Do you have a favourite athletics social media post?
Markus Rehm (@the.bladejumper) – his slow-mo long jump videos are next level!
If you could change one thing about the sport, what would it be and why?
More opportunities for Para athlete competition because I feel like this would encourage more engagement and growth within the sport.
Which athlete do you most admire from your event?
Sydney Barta because she is super lovely, highly driven, and is one to watch!
Outside of athletics, what is your greatest accomplishment this year?
Doing work that makes me happy.
What was your most embarrassing moment in high school?
It would have to be when I was tackled in a football game and my prosthetic leg came off!
If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
I would be a platypus because I think it’s so cool that their bill allows them to detect the electric fields generated by all living things.
Do you have a nickname?
My coach calls me Stevie.
If you could have a superpower what would it be and why?
The ability to teleport because it would save so much time and money! It would be awesome to spend a day skiing in Japan and then finish with dinner in Italy.
What is the funniest joke you know?
What do you call a magic dog?
A Labracadabrador
Where do you see yourself when you are 50?
I see myself being happy and healthy.
What is the most ridiculous fact you know?
One-quarter of all the bones in your body are in your feet.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be and why?
I would eliminate poverty because it would drastically improve many people’s quality of life.
If you could host a talk show, which three guests would you invite and why?
Markus Rehm, because he is a phenomenal athlete and disability advocate,
and I think it would be interesting to talk to him about his personal athletics journey and what he hopes the future of Para sport will look like.
Sir David Attenborough, because he has such a wealth of knowledge to share. I hope listening to him would encourage listeners to lead more sustainable lifestyles so we can continue enjoying our planet for generations to come.
Malala Yousafzai, because her human rights advocacy, especially around education for women and children, is super important and would encourage listeners to view their privilege from a different perspective.