By Mark Dawson
Brad Mathas is unequivocal when it comes to success as an athlete.
"It simply depends on how much you want it."
There's a purposefulness about the Wanganui runner that leaves you in no doubt he wants it very badly.
In the case of this self-assured and fiercely-determined 18-year-old, "it" is an Olympic gold medal. Nothing more, nothing less.
It seems the tall, sinewy athlete has dedicated his life to this glorious pursuit.
"There is no shortcut, you have to put the training in," he says with the certainty of a man who is out doing the hard yards six days a week.
Mathas has just finished his time at Cullinane College, having wrapped up his school career by retaining the New Zealand secondary schools 800m title at Wellington last month. His time was a personal best of 1 minute 50.24 seconds - a championship record and a world junior B qualifying mark.
It was also a second faster than his time when he won the schools title 12 months ago in Hastings.
Getting faster is important, but sometimes winning gets in the way ...
In the Wellington final he was up against Julian Oakley of Tauranga Boys High. As Oakley is the son of squash legend Dame Susan Devoy, the showdown picked up a bit of media interest.
But the hype was something both could have done without. While tough competition brings out the best in an athlete, Mathas reckons he could have run faster had it not been for the need to race tactically to beat a strong opponent.
Indeed, Mathas says he is capable of running 800m in 1:48 or even 1:47.
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