Top long distance runner Maia Ramsden is setting the bar for student athletes in the country.

The New Zealander broke the record in the 800m and 1500m during the Coca-Cola Games last month.

The International Secondary School student is currently preparing to run in the Cross Country Championship in New Zealand next month.

While most student athletes train weeks before a major competition such as the Coca-Cola Games, Ramsden has taken it upon herself to make sure she trains throughout the year and sets high standards for herself.

Her coach, Fesaitu Mario, said Ramsden is the classic example of a student athlete. Mario said if today’s athletes want to be great and leave a legacy behind, they needed to do more than train for a couple of weeks.

“We are really happy with Maia’s performance during the Coke Games. We have been using her as a grand ambassador for track and field to our local athletes.

“You need to give more than just two or three weeks of training if you want to do really well. Maia has been training since the end of last year to better her time in the Coke Games.

“The standards that she has set for herself are not our local standards. She is trying to bring herself up to the international standards.

“It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Maia does all her research on her own I don’t have to tell her,” Mario said.

“Whenever I give her drills to do, she does her own research on why we do it, how it benefits her and she actually makes my work easier because I just hold the stop watch and blow the whistle.

“I think Maia is a classic example of what a student athlete is because not only does she do well on the tracks, a lot of people don’t know that she is also a straight A student.”

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

Feedback: justine.mannan@fijisun.com.fj