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Youth Olympics next step to Rio Games
Thursday, October 11, 2012 • John Hill
ATHLETICS - FORMER Gisborne Boys’ High School student Tom Smith has taken the first steps on the road to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics with his selection for the Rio 2016 Athletics New Zealand Performance Squad, in May.

The 16-year-old, former Poverty Bay football age group centre back, has climbed another rung on the ladder after being named in the New Zealand team to compete at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival at Sydney in January.

“It’s come a lot earlier than expected,” said the St Paul’s Collegiate student, who was the only year 11 player in the school’s first 15 rugby team.

“I didn’t think I would make this team for another couple of years but now that I’m in it I really want to go to Sydney and see where I am against runners from around the world.

“Athletics is my passion but I enjoy football and rugby and at some stage in the future I might have to decide which sport I want to concentrate on. For now it’s definitely athletics, I love running.”

Smith, a 400-metre specialist, said he would have a better idea on his future sports career after the World Youth Games.

“There are 24 countries competing at Sydney so I’m expecting it to be an eye-opener. I’ll take each race as it comes and just hope I’m good enough to make a final. If I do that then I will reassess my goals.”

Smith’s athletics career was put on hold after two incidents while playing rugby. He played on the wing for the first 15 in the opening game of the season and suffered a concussion.

“I played the week after for another rugby team along with some mates and broke my collar bone, which put me out for about 12 weeks.

“After I got over that I had glandular fever so I haven’t been able to train as much as I would like.

“When I go back to St Paul’s after these holidays I’ll get stuck into training.”

Smith’s athletic coach (Gary Henley-Smith) is also the first 15 coach and his English teacher is former All White footballer Mike Groom.

“Mike is always on to me about playing football but like I said, running is my passion at this stage.”

Smith is uncertain what age group he will be racing in at Sydney.

He could be up against 18 year olds but is unfazed . . . for good reason.

As a 15-year-old, Smith won the 17 years and under 400m title at the New Zealand track and field championships in Waitakere with a personal best time of 49.56 seconds.
“Athletics is my passion but I enjoy football and rugby, and at some stage in the future I might have to decide which sport I want to concentrate on.” — Tom Smith
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