October was a strong month for burgeoning athlete Ryan Young (19), with awards, personal bests, new records and more.

The former Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) student received the school’s Alumni Sport Achievement Award. 

He also had outstanding performances at the Athletics Canterbury’s Inter-Club competition at the Nga Puna Wai (PWA) track in Christchurch.

Ryan is currently in the second year of an engineering degree at the University of Canterbury and he fits in his training alongside this.

Since starting in athletics at the age of 12 or 13, Ryan has shown “perseverance, determination and discipline,” coach Michael Beable said.

His successes at Nga Puna Wai highlighted the reasons he won the “richly deserved” alumni award, Michael said.

At Nga Puna Wai, Ryan won the Men’s Open Long Jump event with a personal best (PB) of 6.84m, a jump which also created a new Aspiring Athletes Club record (Ryan is a senior member).

Another PB was achieved by Ryan in the Mens 80M Sprint event, where his speed of 9.26s earned him a third place.

He also won the Men’s 60M Sprint with 7.11s.

Michael said the results show that Ryan’s winter training has paid off.

“He is significantly faster than at the same stage last year.”

A week earlier, Ryan also achieved a winning distance of 13.67m in his first Triple Jump of the season.

Once he has completed his exams, Ryan will return home to Wānaka to train for most of the summer, Michael said. 

“If his body holds together – all the jumping in training and competitions does knock it around - he will be competitive nationally this summer, in the Triple Jump especially.”

In March next year Ryan will compete at the New Zealand National Championships in Wellington in the Men’s Open grade.

Though Ryan will be a first-year senior at these national champs, Michael said he believes he has a reasonable chance of a podium finish amongst NZ-based triple jumpers. 

“It’s certainly a realistic goal for Ryan to aim for; and he’s on target,” he said.

PHOTO: Supplied