It was the very first Athletics day at Sancta Maria College for Zach Saunders. He was a bright-eyed and eager Year 7 student feeling thrilled about the chance to go out and do the best he could on a day that would end up being more memorable and significant than he could have ever imagined. This was because on this very day Zach found a love for athletics and performed in a way that in his words was “alright” but in the eyes of everyone else, it was incredible and the beginning of something special.
After taking up athletics only two years ago, Zach has been able to accomplish phenomenal things that some could only dream of. Currently in Year 10, you could say he’s like the kiwi version of the All-American, excelling at hurdling, high jump and also on the football field. He doesn’t like to talk about his achievements and you get that feeling from having a conversation with him. He’s got this humble but hungry mentality about him and an undeniably strong work ethic.
This has seen him compete at the Auckland Secondary Schools Athletics Championships where he won gold in the 100m Hurdles with a time of 14.46 seconds and won bronze in the 300m hurdles with a time of 42.93. He then jumped 1.70m in the High Jump. Zach described the way he felt saying: “for the gold I was just stoked that I had won and…in a field of great athletes, I was happy I came through with bronze.” He went on to say: “usually when I’m doing high jump I’m not the tallest in the field so it’s sort of (like) just competing against myself.”
From the Auckland Champs he got the opportunity to represent Auckland at the North Island Secondary Schools Athletics Champs at Cooks Gardens in Whanganui. Once again putting in a remarkable effort and placing 3rd in the 100m hurdles in a time of 14.7 seconds Zach then competed in the 300m hurdles and placed 2nd in 43.71 seconds. And just to put into perspective how fast Zach actually ran the 100m hurdles, his time of 14.7 was just under 3 seconds slower than Rio Olympic Gold medalist Omar McLeod’s time, which is amazing. At the North Island Champs, it was also a big step up as he competed against older athletes who were more experienced. He had huge support from his mum and dad who travelled down to Whanganui to cheer him on.
But nothing seems to faze Zach and as he bolts across the track or soars over the bar, he also graces the football field as a striker for both club and school and in the winter time spends most of his days on the pitch, playing three times a week. In fact he spends nearly the whole year playing sports stating “that’s sort of my life, just sports.” His summer usually consists of competing 4 times a week and training twice a week. It’s a huge commitment for someone still so young but so willing to put in the hard yards. He continues to dominate and shine in anything he does, finishing 1st last week in the Year 10 boys Cross Country.
Zach models his game after his favourite football player, Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and draws inspiration from former New Zealand Paralympic sprinter, Liam Malone. He has dreams of one day representing New Zealand in athletics at the Olympics and World Championships. And from a young 11 year old boy who thought he was “alright” to now an up and coming superstar, with not only talent but great character, there’s no doubt we’ll see him out there one day.
Shontelle Matano
