Hawke's Bay's most recent track and field Olympian retired from racing three years ago but could revisit some of the world's stadiums after scoring a dream job with sports gear giant adidas.
Jason Stewart, 30, who has just completed a degree at Auckland University's School of Engineering, will be basedat the adidas head office in Germany from January, working as part of a small project management team in the development of running shoes. Separate teams are similarly involved with other gear such as rugby boots and lifestyle wear, and the job is expected to include contact with top competitors at major events.
It takes him back to Germany where he was based for several Northern Hemisphere summers, at the height of a career which had developed quickly from Napier Boys' High School in the 1990s, breaking a series of national records in his specialist 800 metres.
In 2000 he started ticking-off international goals by reaching the final in the world junior track and field championships in Santiago.
He then wore the silver fern at the Olympic games in Athens in 2004, the world track and field championships in Helsinki in 2005, the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, and the 2008 World Cup in Athens.
His 1m 46.24s at the Olympics was a personal best at the time, but missed qualifying for the second round by one placing. He ran his all-time best of 1m 46.19s a year later, and in 2006 was fifth in the Commonwealth Games final. "I got as far as I could in the sport, some things didn't go my way, a lot did," he said this week.
"I still do run on a social basis, hanging out with the guys I got to know, but it will be good to be involved again," he said.
