New Zealand’s top men’s sprinter has the sub-10 barrier in his sights after a coaching changeup. MARC HINTON reports.
Out of the ruins of a crumbled coaching programme has emerged what Tiaan Whelpton rather optimistically calls Project Sub-10. New Zealand’s top male sprinter is heading back to go forwards, and in a funny sort of way he couldn’t be more excited.
The 23-year-old South Africa-born, Christchurch domiciled athlete rode the proverbial rollercoaster in 2023. He followed a promising domestic campaign, that saw him twice equal his national resident record (of 10.18 seconds) in Hastings, and also tuck away a couple of windy efforts of 10.13sec and 10.14sec, by notching a PB of 10.14sec at the Seiko Grand Prix meet in Tokyo that sealed his spot at the world champs in Budapest – the first appearance on the global stage for the 1.93-metre part-time model and now full-time speed merchant.
He ran solidly, but unspectacularly, there to finish sixth in his heat in 10.26sec – a feat that left him far from discouraged.
“If there was one thing I got from the world champs, it was motivation,” says Whelpton. “I enjoyed it and think I exceeded expectations. I went in ranked 54th, and ended up 37th, so I took quite a few scalps. Some of those boys I beat a couple of weeks later went to Brazil and ran sub-10 there. It shows I’m capable of competing with those big boys.”
Then there were the dips – and not the kind a sprinter makes on the line to maybe shave a hundredth of a second off his time. The Christchurch-based sprint programme, of which he was arguably the marquee athlete, fell apart with the banning of disgraced coach Andrew Maclennan after findings of inappropriate relationships with female athletes.
That left Whelpton without a coach and when Auckland sprint guru James Mortimer put up the “No Room at the Inn” sign, things got decidedly difficult. The track’s shortest event is all power and technique, and both elements require careful guidance. Suddenly the tall, mop-haired athlete had none.
Until Hennie Kriel from Pretoria came calling to save the day. And this is where it gets really interesting.
A family connection helped seal the deal that sees Whelpton, now in the midst of a three-month block of training with Kriel on the Highveld, head back to his homeland to hone his craft. Tiaan’s father Chris had links with the highly respected coach from his university and rugby days in Pretoria with the Bulls, a call was made and a new connection established
“They’ve been tracking me since Tokyo, and he basically called up dad and said, ‘is this your son, how’s his setup, has he got everything he needs?’ Dad said actually he’s coachless, and they said, ‘bring him here, we reckon we can get him under that 10-second barrier’. The rest is history.”
Under Kriel’s guidance, Whelpton, who was born and raised in Cape Town before emigrating to New Zealand with his family when he was 18, hopes to realise his driving ambition, and with it earn a spot at the Paris Olympics alongside the fastest men on the planet.
Kriel has already produced several sub-10sec sprinters, and Whelpton, who plans to race in New Zealand over the back part of summer, sees no reason why he can’t join their ranks.
“Hennie has another 100m athlete in Gift Leotlela who’s a sub-10s runner (PB 9.94s) and to be able to train with athletes who are my speed … I’m hoping that will bring the best out in me. It’s something I don’t have in New Zealand and it could be potentially huge.
“To be an Olympian is every athlete’s dream. It’s hard for us in New Zealand, but I dont think it’s out of my reach. Give me some good conditions, good competition on a good track, I think I’m capable of the times I need.”
It’s likely Whelpton will need to run sub-10 to make it to Paris. He’s pretty sure, by going back to the future, he’s found the right coach to get him there.
Marc Hinton – Sports Writer