Athletics: Robinson walking the walk

Roseanne Robinson (Hill City) has the potential to compete at the Olympics and the dedication and drive to make it happen.

Robinson (20), a second-year physical education student the University of Otago, is one of the nine new entrants for the 2011 Academy Otago programme.

"I have joined Andrew Keene's strength and conditioning programme at the Academy of Sport and it is paying dividends," Robinson said.

Robinson made her international debut in the transtasman walking test against Australia in Hobart last February. She finished seventh in the women's open event over 20km in a personal-best 1hr 51min 24sec and was the third under-23 walker to complete the course.

Robinson made rapid progress last winter and her dedication reaped dividends when she won the long-distance road title over 15km at Hastings in 1hr 22min and was in front at the 10km mark that was passed in 53min 40sec. She confirmed her fitness by winning the Otago 10km road title around Butts Rd in 52min 17sec last Sunday.

Robinson's training is directed by Christchurch-based coach John Henderson and the emphasis has been on doing a lot of work to improve her speed. She proved the training is working by reducing her 3km track time by 13sec to 14min 05sec last month.

At last season's New Zealand championships in Auckland, Robinson won the women's aged 19 3km track walk and was runner-up in the 10km. She will compete in the senior ranks when the championships are held in Dunedin in March and her target is to win gold medals in both the 3km track walk and the 20km road walk.

Robinson's long-term objective is to compete at the 2012 World Walking Cup in the 20km road walk. To do this she must reduce her best time by 11min to 1hr 40min.

Robinson was 14 when she started race walking in Whangamata on the Coromandel Peninsula and finished fourth in the North Island secondary schools championships.

Robinson's best times are: 3km (14min 05sec), 10km (50min 23sec), 15km (1hr 22min) and 20km (1hr 51min 24sec).

2011 Otago Academy Squad
Samara Gallaher (basketball), Johannah Kearney (rowing), Roseanne Robinson (athletics), Kate Godfrey (swimming), Deborah Lynch (triathlon), Sophie Napper (netball), Blair Grant (athletics), Nick Elder (hockey), Jed Rooney (mountain biking).