Young gun on the fast track
The 16-year-old runner has been selected to represent New Zealand at next months Australian interstate youth (under-18) meet in Brisbane in what will be his debut in the black and white.
Ballams national selection is just another step on his rapid rise to athletics success and hes hoping that it will lead to even brighter things.
%26quot;Ive been training pretty hard and getting massages, trying to get my legs ready,%26quot; he said.
%26quot;I dont really know the competition (at the Australian meet), but hopefully I can do a sub-four (minute) run and that would qualify me for the junior Commonwealths.%26quot;
Although Ballam favours the 800m run as his specialist event, he has been selected to represent New Zealand in the 1500m, where his personal best is just 0.07sec off the qualifying time for this years Commonwealth Youth Games — 4.03min flat.
The Commonwealth Youth Games will be held in India in October and Ballam has had his eye on them since last year.
Theres also the under-18 Oceania athletics championships in June, where he is hoping to qualify in the 1500m, the 800m and the javelin.
Hes been training with coach Lance Smith in the running events and already boasts personal bests of 4.03.07 in the 1500m, 1.55.13 in the 800m and 53.53m in the javelin.
%26quot;The 800 and 1500 sort of have the same training … its sprint endurance (and) I dont train for javelin, I just use my natural ability for that,%26quot; he said.
Ballam has only been involved with athletics for three years and made the step up to senior level at the secondary school nationals at the end of last year. There he placed fourth in the javelin and fifth in both the 800m and 4×400m relay.
He is one of only 10 Kiwis selected for the New Zealand team, which will compete against teams from all Australian states on February 2.
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