As Julian Oakley sprouts wings and flies the coup, his mentor for the past two-and-a-bit years believes the gifted middle distance runner has only scratched the surface of his ability.
Oakley, the son of former squash star Dame Susan Devoy and her husband John Oakley, leaves today for Wellington, where
he will study commerce for a semester at Victoria University before leaving for the US and Providence College in Rhode Island to begin a full athletics scholarship (and study management) under renown track and cross country coach Ray Treacy.
Oakley departs in the best shape in his life after achieving a world junior B qualifying time in the 1500m at Hamilton's Porritt Classic. He stopped the clock at a personal best 3:47.31 to finish second behind sub-four-minute miler Malcolm Hicks, of Canterbury.
Oakley's coach Gareth Hyett, a former national 800 and 1500m champion who ran at the world champs in Osaka in 2007, said his runner's B standard wasn't a huge surprise, despite it shaving a massive 4 1/2seconds off his PB.
"I'd said for a while he was in 3:46 or 3:47 shape so I wasn't shocked [Hyett missed the race because he was at home on newborn baby duties], and he can go even faster with the right race."
Oakley will come under the wing of Hyett's former track coach, 1984 Olympic 1500m finalist Tony Rogers, in the capital but it's his Tauranga Boys' College mentor who has been the guiding force during a meteoric rise on the track over the past two seasons.
"Gareth and Tony are still close and I'd imagine Gareth will continue to be interested in how I'm going because he's been a huge part of my progress. I doubt I would be anywhere near where I am without him."
The feeling is mutual.
Hyett has eschewed pumping Lydiard-like mileage into Oakley's teenage legs but demands the talented athlete turns up to the Domain track for their thrice-weekly sessions and works with intensity and purpose, with Monday, Friday and Sunday runs to maintain fitness and condition. Hyett's never had to bark, with Oakley a model student.
"He's disciplined and dedicated and really goal-driven and wants to be the best, which has made him an easy guy to coach."
Oakley has the ability to qualifying for the 2016 Olympics in Rio, with his build and fluid running style making him a prospect over 1500m and 5000m, Hyett says.
The value of a full scholarship to a top track college is eye-watering. Oakley considered other schools but is pleased with his impending move to the East Coast of the US and building a relationship with Treacy, who has headed Providence's athletics programme for 26 years and still coaches top Kiwi marathoner Kimberley Smith.
"Ray Treacy is highly regarded and has produced quite a few Olympians. There's a few athletes from New Zealand already there and I've been in contact with them and they like it and are doing well."
Athletics NZ has set formidable qualifying benchmarks for the junior worlds in Barcelona later this year but Oakley feels there's an A standard (3:47) run in him.
"I'd done the training and was in good shape and I'm hoping another B standard will qualify me, although I could target races in Australia for an A because they're always fast."
He will be back north for the track and field nationals at Waitakere next month.
As Julian Oakley sprouts wings and flies the coup, his mentor for the past two-and-a-bit years believes the gifted middle distance runner has only scratched the surface of his ability.
Oakley, the son of former squash star Dame Susan Devoy and her husband John Oakley, leaves today for Wellington, where
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