It’s been quite the 2024 for outstanding young Southland middle-distance runner James McLeay.

The Southland Boys’ High School and SBS Bank Academy Southland athlete has had a memorable few months, without even talking about going deep into the playoffs with his beloved social basketball team, the Bricklayers.

We’re here to talk about James’ running, so pull up a pew.

In January he won his first New Zealand title, taking out the under 20 men’s mile at the 25th anniversary Potts Classic in Hastings in a time of 4min 07sec - remember that time for later in the story.

In April he finished third in the Australian men’s under 20 1500m championships, before heading to Kenya in May to represent New Zealand at the world secondary schools cross country championships. He finished a credible 27th at the spiritual home of the sport and helped the New Zealand team to a fifth-placed finish overall.

The St Pauls club member was part of a 12-strong New Zealand team which contested the world under 20 championships in Peru in August, where he ran the 1500m in a personal best 3:45:12 (again, note the time - there won’t be a test, but it will be worth it) to qualify fifth in his heat, before finishing 14th in the final.

“The last six months, if I look back on it I wouldn’t have expected all these opportunities. I’m just really stoked about it," James said.

“This year it’s been about the experience that I’ve gained, particularly at the world champs in Peru, lining up in the final with thousands of people in the stands. That was an unreal experience that I’m really grateful for.”

A year of learning

As much as the results have been impressive, learning from each experience has been important for James.

“I’ve learnt a lot, and lot of that has come through from the Academy, especially around how to fuel yourself with nutrition. It was different in Peru, you had to be cautious and not just eat random things. I was mainly living on rice, and eggs on toast. 

“I remember one of the first things they told us was not to drink the water or put your toothbrush under the tap and five minutes later I had put my toothbrush under the tap - I was fine, but you have to be cautious because those little things can affect you.”

Training for an extended track season through winter is a challenging ask in Invercargill, but after having all of 10 days off after his return from Peru, James is ready to get stuck into the mahi again.

The next mission is his final tilt at the New Zealand secondary schools championships, being held in Timaru in December.

“I’m definitely looking to do something good in Timaru. I just want to have a crack and do well.”

Sub-four

So, is it time to talk about time?

Another goal for James in the coming months is a serious crack at one of the most storied time barriers in athletics - a sub-four minute mile.

James ran 4:07 and 4:06 over 1600m last summer, but his qualifying time in the 1500m in Lima has left him curious about just how close he is to dipping under the legendary mark.

He will get a couple of opportunities to run the mile in competition again this summer.

From what James has been told, only one other Southlander - a fellow Boys’ High athlete by the name of Alan Bunce - has achieved the feat. Bunce raced for New Zealand for 15 years, including the 1500m at the Auckland Commonwealth Games in 1990 and an eighth-placed finish in the 5000m at the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur.

“I think I’m definitely capable of it if I get the right race. I’ll be doing my best and having a crack at that barrier,” James said.

“It would be pretty unreal to break that barrier. We’ve got a very good miler history in New Zealand so it’s quite special. You’ve just got to believe that you can do it and put words into action.”

Article added: Friday 20 September 2024