Eddie Osei-Nketia: 'I’ve always wanted to go to the States for college.' Photo / Getty Images
Eddie Osei-Nketia: 'I’ve always wanted to go to the States for college.' Photo / Getty Images
Walking away from a successful athletics career, Kiwi sprint star Eddie Osei-Nketia quotes Dr Seuss: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
It’s a line that neatly encapsulates Osei-Nketia’s emotions as he places a bookend on his athletics career and enters a new chapter in American football.
Forthe 21-year-old, his final strides on the way to winning the 100m sprint at the Brisbane Track Classic were a testament to what could’ve been for the former Scots College student.
Triumph over Australian speedster Rohan Browning, who had been undefeated over the summer, and Kiwi rival Tiaan Whelpton showed the possibilities for Osei-Nketia’s career were endless.
“I was happy and sad at the same time that I won’t be doing the sport that I grew up with for a while,” Osei-Nketia told Newstalk ZB. “I can’t believe I’m 21 years old and I’m about to stop doing track.”
His emotional post-race interview, followed by phone calls with his parents and mentor Gary Henley-Smith, put a full stop to Osei-Nketia’s sprinting swansong.
After competing for 12 years, Osei-Nketia says he’s forged his own identity after entering the sport as the son of Gus Nketia — who at the time held the record for New Zealand’s fastest 100m with 10.11 seconds.
His father’s mark stood until Eddie beat it at last year’s World Championships in Oregon with a time of 10.08 seconds.
“I reckon track made me grow as a person and I can’t be more grateful to having track,” he says. “I remember being an 18-year-old kid and now I’m 21 years old, learning how to be independent and going out and travelling by myself and taking my experiences to a new level.”
Kiwi sprinter Eddie Osei-Nketia in action at the World Athletics Championships. Photo / Getty Images
Osei-Nketia will head to the University of Hawaii in May, where he’ll resume his studies in physical education and go through orientation on campus and on the American football field.
But until then, he’s aiming to stay fit and injury-free before he runs routes as a wide receiver.
“It’s going to be a new challenge and it’s going to be a new environment,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to go to the States for college.”
Henley-Smith, his sprinting coach, recalls similarities between Osei-Nketia’s final race and his national record-breaking performance last July.
“He got everything right and it just reflects on what he is like as an athlete when he puts his mind to it.
“He can run very fast and it’s really unfortunate for the sport that we’re going to lose him.”
With age came Eddie’s increased burning desire to become the fastest man in the country, which Henley-Smith attributes to high-performance resources — something the coach adds would’ve contributed greatly to Gus Nketia during his tenure on the track.
Critical to Osei-Nketia’s success were regular visits to their sports psychologist in Wellington to break down races and the importance of rest and recovery.
“He’s peaked at the right time and it’s really unfortunate that he’s not going to race at the Australian Championships because he may have been really close to 10 seconds,” Henley-Smith says.
Osei-Nketia’s mentor says the 21-year-old still had “a few years left in him” and would’ve liked to have seen his development on the track continue.
“With Zoe [Hobbs], she’s 26 — it’s taken her a few years to come through and Eddie’s very similar in some ways because he’s grown into his strength now and that’s why his acceleration phase is much better.
“Eddie’s a bit of a character and everyone quite enjoys his personality on the track, so he’s going to leave a big gap in athletics.
“Thankfully we’ve got Zoe, who’s doing an amazing job and hopefully Tiaan [Whelpton] can fill that gap as well.”
