Just two months after winning age grade gold at the national gymnastics competition, Chloe Gordon is chasing more success in track and field.
The 13-year-old only took up long and triple jumping after her floor apparatus triumph, but is already making a real impression.
“Chloe has the run up, consistent stride and all the power in the world,” enthuses leading Tasman athletics coach Tony Aikenhead who has mentored a succession of teenage sporting stars.
The Year 13 Waimea College student says her gym background is ideal for leaping and almost immediately she broke a 15-year-old Tasman long jump record and backed it up with a 10.83 triple jump effort at the Harold Nelson Classic meeting on Saturday.
“The power, flexibility and co-ordination all cross over,” says Chloe, who will compete in the U14 ranks at the nationals in Hastings next weekend. “I am still getting used to these meets because I am new to this.”
Combining gymnastics and track and field has meant a demanding training schedule.
“Although it is lighter in term four with just four days a week,” quips Chloe, who enjoys practicing alongside South Island schoolgirl jumps champion Ruby Darwen.
Chloe’s emergence is timely as 16-year-old Ruby is moving from Takaka to take up a netball scholarship at St Margaret’s College in Christchurch next year.
“We have to manage Chloe’s energy levels because that amount of training in two sports is huge,” says her father Craig.
She also plays netball in winter as well. While Chloe was working on her run-ups on Saturday, the best performed athlete to come out of Waimea College was at the Saxton Athletics Track, too.
1972 Munich Olympic 1500m bronze medalist and 1983 New York Marathon champion Rod Dixon fired the starting gun to send way the field in the 3,000 and 5,000 metres.
Rod was trained by Harold Nelson at college and already knew him as they both lived in Tahunanui.
“I would deliver the newspapers and later the milk to his property,” says the 75-year-old Athletics Tasman Patron.
Addressing competitors before the classic started, Rod relayed Harold’s advice which had stuck with him for more than 50 years.
“You don’t improve when you train. You improve when you recover.”
Harold was the team captain and flagbearer at the 1948 London Olympics and won gold in the six miles event at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland.
