Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 58, May 2014 | Page 11

Feature

In The

MA: Where did your love of sprinting begin?
AJ: I tried every sport at school, running in inter-high
events that only happened about once a year. In 2008
when I was in grade 10, everything changed and I took
my running more seriously. A year later, I was fourth
in the 200m and sixth in the 100m at the SA Youth
Champs. I knew I was on form and at the end of 2009,
getting introduced to a coach and various training
programmes, I knew that I could really follow-through
with it. I went on to win the SA Schools 200m title in
2010, but then picked up quite a bad hamstring injury,
partly leaving me out of the 2011 season.

MA: But you qualified and got that spot for London.
How trying was it being on the sidelines in that period?
AJ: Pretty frustrating! I remember the federation
requested athletes to qualify again before the World
Junior Champs and I competed, having already picked
up the injury in April that year. I rushed the rehab
process – more than I should have – and it took me
more time to recover afterwards. So in 2011, I knew I
had to look after myself and start to recover in my own
time. My confidence was low – I even remember telling
my coach that maybe I wasn’t cut out for it – but in late
2011, I moved to Jackson State University in Mississippi
to study physiotherapy and focus on my athletics, so I
put that behind me.
MA: Last year, you clocked 20.13, the fastest 200m
in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and ran
a wind-assisted 20.00 at the World Student Champs,
where you also matched your 100m PB of 10.10. Has
training in the USA helped you, and how do you balance
training and competition with your studies?

AJ: It’s great because the coaches
and teammates push you in training
and they’re quick, so it makes you
work that little bit extra. There are
regular track meets in the States
and there’s another level of
competitiveness. Also, at the end
of 2011, introducing strength work
helped my recovery and fitting
in three weight sessions a week
definitely helped me push out the
blocks faster. We train Monday
to Saturday with Sundays off for
sleeping in! We also prioritise
nutrition in the time leading up to competing –
that’s our fuel and we follow that up with adequate
amounts of carbs and high-protein for quicker
recovery while getting enough sleep.
Balancing everything as a student is manageable
for me. Training definitely puts me under more
stress, but luckily we’re given a three-month break
from school to focus solely on competition. Then
you can get your head in the right space.

MA: You’re based in Florida at the moment but
visiting SA for a while. Why are you back and what
does this year hold for you?
AJ: I’m home to get some rehab sessions done,
because I picked up two hernias and I’m waiting for
results from my doctor before getting into training
again. It’s great to have support from family and
friends here – they always check up on how I’m
doing and they’re very interested in watching me
when they can. As for 2014, I’m set on getting out
of the blocks quicker, steadily working on my times
and technique, and continually learning new things
about my body. That will only translate into the
results I want. Obviously there is African Champs
and the Commonwealth Games to look forward to
later this year!
MA: In April, Simon Magakwe became the first
South African to break the sub-10-second barrier,
clocking 9.98 in the 100m at the SA Champs. Do you
think you can