Chosen sport not always a priority as life catches up

• Published date: 05 November 2021

Waitaki Boys’ High School

Athletics

BREAKING the 11sec 100m barrier had always been a goal for Blair Grant.

It was a mark he had his sights on when he spoke to the Otago Daily Times in 2011.

And, despite eight years passing since he last ran competitively, the desire to break that mark has not left him.

Grant is intending to return to the track this summer, not so much on a competitive basis, but to give that personal milestone one last crack.

‘‘I never got there in high school, but was agonisingly close for a long time,’’ he said.

‘‘Just crossing my fingers now we can have a normal season and do some races around the country.’’

Agonisingly close is an apt description.

The former Waitaki Boys’ High School pupil ran below 11.20sec 22 times, seven times breaking the 11.10sec mark although some of those were wind-assisted.

In February 2012, he ran a wind-assisted 11.01sec 100m, while his wind-legal personal best was 11.06sec a month later at the national championships.

Those performances were part of a career that included national representation at the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games.

But by 2013, the year he began university, his times were not improving.

It was then Grant decided to focus on other things following a ‘‘disappointing’’ result at that year’s national championships.

He has lived in Auckland for the past four years and worked ‘‘a few jobs’’ in marketing, but was made redundant during last year’s first lockdown. This year, he has decided to return to study, choosing to do a masters at Auckland University in politics and international relations.

Laura Bridger

Columba College

Mountain biking

LAURA Bridger appreciates the contrast mountain biking gives her these days.

The 2011 New Zealand under-17 cross-country champion remains active in the sport and finds it complements her day job well.

She now lives in Wellington, initially working as a dental health surgeon at Wellington Hospital and now as a dentist at a private practice.

While that would seem a full-on job for most, Bridger finds getting on her bike to be a good chance to get away.

‘‘It’s a pretty good work-life balance,’’ the former Columba College pupil said.

‘‘I work a 40-hour week so it’s just finding time after work or before work and things.

‘‘It’s pretty good contrasting, I guess. Dentistry is tiny, precise work. Mountain biking is more big picture — you can have a real break from it.’’

While her focus is on fun and fitness these days, she keeps a full training schedule and still fares...