Tom Smith focuses on the 400

Tom Smith on a start. File picture

DESPITE recording a personal best time of 21.9 seconds for the 200-metre sprint at the Auckland Waikato Bay of Plenty athletics meet at Porritt Stadium Hamilton on Saturday, Gisborne’s Tom Smith says the 400m event is his main focus.

“I’m using the 200m races to increase my speed for the 400m,” said Smith, a former New Zealand Secondary Schools 100m champion, who lives in Auckland but runs in the Gisborne Athletics Club colours.

“Gisborne is where I first started my athletics career before moving to Waikato and I’m proud to wear the Gisborne club colours.

“To be a successful 400m runner — winning the national 400m metre title and hopefully one day competing at the Olympic Games or Commonwealth Games — I need to be going faster over the first 250-to-300m.

“Conditions at the weekend were not good for fast times, with heavy rain and a headwind on the home straight, so my coach (Angus Ross) and I were happy with my time.

“But the race also showed me that there are still things I need to work on. I need to improve my start, faster out of the blocks and quicker over the first 250-to-350m. I was happy with my acceleration down the home straight, despite the headwind.

“I’ll continue to run 200m races but the focus is definitely the 400m.”

Smith, who won the 400m two weeks ago in the first of the Auckland summer series, said he was hoping to run another 400m race in two or three weeks.

“I’m not sure where I’ll run but between now and then I’ll be working hard in training to improve my speed out of the blocks and go fast over the next 300m.

“By then your legs are hurting but that’s when I need to hold it together and finish well.”