Steady work to a long-term goal

The 19-year-old Nelsonian, who is just a few months into a four-year athletics scholarship at Providence College, Rhode Island in the United States, has his sights quietly set on the 2012 London Olympics, but has a lot of running to do between now and then.

Channon, the current New Zealand under-20 cross-country champion and holder of the New Zealand 3000m record for 18-year-olds, takes it all pretty much in his colt-legged stride.

He's also happy to ignore suggestions that a good haircut would probably help him run faster.

"Sporting-wise, I'm competing at a whole different level in a different world. The competition is so much higher than here."

Channon says it doesn't freak him out, but makes him strive harder to reach his potential and progress a lot faster.

Channon arrived home for Christmas to spend time with family, and will head back to the US later this month. When The Nelson Mail caught up with him this week, he had just returned from a training run over favoured terrain from the Maitai Valley and over the Tantragee.

"It's taken a while to adjust to the different training methods in the US. It's quite flat over there where I am near the coast - there's nothing like this," he says, looking at Nelson's city hills.

"But my coach is not big on hill workouts."

He keeps in touch with the man he credits with making it all happen for him, Nelson athletics coach and US Olympic triallist Greg Lautenslager.

"We're still good friends. He got me here."

Channon's scholarship to Providence, which he terms a liberal arts Catholic college with a roll of 4000 students, is worth $NZ78,000 a year for four years. Several other young New Zealanders also attend the school on scholarships.

Channon, a former Nelson College student, says his scholarship pays for tuition, coaching, accommodation, food and running gear. He is also sponsored by Reebok.

The return for the school is the profile gained by its high-achieving students, and Channon says he's proud to fly the flag for Providence.

"The more people who do well through the school, the more it will attract," he says.

He's no slouch either when it comes to academic achievement, and hits the books as frequently as the training ground.

Channon has taken on two introductory courses in sociology, a psychology subject and another on the development of Western civilisation. He has not yet picked a major, preferring to "sample and fulfil requirements", but - not surprisingly, given the design interests of his parents, Nick and Jane - photography, drawing and design appeal.

Since arriving in the US in August, Channon has competed in five cross-country meets, and was introduced early on to the depth of talent in the US.

Last November he competed in the National Collegiate Athletics Association championships in Indiana.

"I finished 187th, which puts into perspective the level of competition I'm up against. There's so much depth."

However, putting that into perspective, there were 260 in the race from 20,000 qualifiers.

Channon's team finished 20th in the event, won by Oregon, which he calls the "distance-running mecca" of the moment.

Despite his laid-back appearance, Channon does get nervous before a race, but that's not a bad thing when an adrenalin kick is needed. "Nerves are important, but they need to be controlled."

Channon stays in touch with New Zealand athletics officials, and is tentatively aiming for the 2010 world cross-country champs.

"I just want to be the best I can possibly be, and to wear the New Zealand flag on my chest would be cool. The Olympics are the peak of an athlete's career."