A leap of faith has put Christ’s College track and field champion AJ Madondo on a very fast track to outsprinting and outjumping his rivals. In October 2022, AJ decided it was time to step up his passion for athletics. In April 2023, he won the U19 triple jump (13.57m) and U19 200m (21.93) at the South Island Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships. That same month, he helped to power the national U18 4x100m relay team to 2nd place – and a New Zealand-record 41.46 seconds – at the Australian Junior Track & Field Championships in Brisbane. At the South Island event, AJ also finished 2nd in the U19 100m (11.19) while in Australia, he recorded a personal-best time to finish 5th in the 200m. In May 2023, his commitment to athletics was further endorsed with the awarding of the Junior Athlete of the Year title at the Athletics Canterbury Awards. At that point, he had been training in earnest for only seven months. His short-term goal is to qualify for the 200m at the U20 World Championships next year. At present, he is only 0.4 short of the required 21.40. AJ initially pondered a move to athletics after realising during his 1st XI football matches that “I had a huge advantage with speed and physicality”, comfortably outpacing other players. With three College coaches eager for AJ to make the jump into track and field, there was no shortage of supporters for his switch from football to athletics.
“I did play football for quite a long time and then found I was good at both,” AJ explains. “Then I stopped playing football following the national tournament for schools to instead focus on athletics. It is most definitely my passion. Football did seem like a bit of a chore sometimes. With track and field, you do it for that love of the sport. You just continue loving that training, despite the hours. Now, 100 per cent, I enjoy what I do. “I run the 100m and 200m and do triple jump and long jump, but, primarily, the 200m and triple jump. Those two are my favourite and strongest events. “You don’t really find anyone who does both track and field, and not all four. I think it is just having that athletic ability.” While AJ easily won all his school races from about Years 2–3, “I never really thought about athletics – it was just a fun school activity”. “The big change was the potential I had to make it in football, in comparison with the potential to make it in athletics. My coaches, along with my parents, truly believe that there is a lot more in track and field for me.” Both his jumps coach, Matt Thatcher, and Athletics Master- in-Charge Graeme Christey have backed AJ to reach high levels while his well-known sprint coach, former New Zealand representative Bev Peterson, has been “a big advocate” for the young runner. Matt describes AJ as “a naturally gifted and talented young man”
who works hard and is very determined to succeed.
“However, what makes AJ stand out is his drive and dedication,” the coach says. “He wants to get better and believes he can, so he works hard and searches for any drill or skill or aspect that can help his performance. He is focused and wants to perform well. His positive mindset puts AJ in a good place to improve and reflect on his performances.” Having already represented New Zealand, Matt believes that “there is no reason AJ cannot continue to do so” and that gaining a scholarship to study and train overseas “is certainly achievable as well”. “It has been my pleasure to work with, support, and see AJ develop his ability and have the success he has had,” Matt says. “I look forward to seeing what he goes on to achieve.” AJ adds that “all three coaches have guided me to this point”. “I did go to nationals in December last year after only a very short period of preparation. It was a big step up as I was in the U20 events but just 16,” he says. “There were lots of older boys, but I managed to finish 3rd in the 100m and 2nd in the triple jump, which was pretty good. Going into the nationals, I was thinking it would be tough to make the finals, but – after the results – I realised that I could really do this. “Following the nationals, I was selected for the national secondary schools team but was waiting on my New Zealand passport. I moved to New Zealand
COLLEGE 2023
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