Q&A: Rebecca Peterson and her comeback story
After a seven-year gap, Rebecca Peterson decided to take up athletics again. In doing so earned the chance to wear the silver fern representing New Zealand overseas
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Rebecca Peterson was a promising young sprinter and jumper in her school days but gave it away for study and work.
After a seven-year gap, she decided to take up athletics again. In doing so earned the chance to wear the silver fern representing New Zealand overseas.
That was not the only “come back” element to her story. Most teenage athletes leave Southland for study and work, as did Rebecca.
However, she returned South, representing Southland at national level and adding to the very few senior (non masters) athletes competing in the province.
What prompted her return journey, and what lies ahead? We asked her.
What got you started?
Athletics has been a major part of my life ever since moving to New Zealand at the age of 4. My older brother and I would race around the backyard, and we loved running so much that my Dad, a world class archer, saw some competitive potential in us.
Next thing I knew, I was winning trophies and medals against other girls my age.
How long have you been doing athletics?
From four to 19, then I took seven years off to recover from what I thought was a career-ending injury, but recently started back at the humble age of 26.
During those seven years, my focus turned to academia where I moved to Christchurch to study for a degree in Sport and Recreational Management at Lincoln, with a focus on Event Management. This led to working for Lincoln University as a Conference and Events Coordinator, involved with such organisations as New Zealand Cricket and New Zealand Rugby, All Black 7s and the Black Ferns.
After a few years I decided it was time for a change and went back to university to study a Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning.
After teaching for a couple of years, I realised that Event Management was my passion. So, the opportunity arose, and I started my own Tours and Event Management company.
This has given me the freedom to put more focus and time into my training.
I have been back competing for two years now. There is something special about leaving your childhood sport and coming back to it years later.
You develop a new love and passion for it, your mindset is more mature, and you realise that you need to work for everything, you only get out what you put in.
After sustaining my hip injury at 18 and forcing me to stop, it was always the plan to get back into it once I was healed. It wasn’t until I overheard a conversation between my older brother and Dad stating “it’s a shame she stopped, she had so much potential” that gave me the reality check I needed.
I had to relearn how my body adapted and handled training as an older athlete. You don’t recover and heal the same as a teenager, this has taken some getting used to.
What other sports? How do they affect your running (or vice versa)?
Around the same time as I started athletics, I also became a gymnast, where I competed at a national level up to the age of 15.
Gymnastics taught me body awareness and coordination. It also benefited my overall fitness and conditioning. Sadly, it got to a point where I was getting too many injuries and I had to decide what sport I wanted to focus on.
What have been your best moments in athletics?
Winning bronze in the triple jump at New Zealand nationals, and at the age of 16, I was the fastest 100m female sprinter for my age in New Zealand.
And of course, being selected to represent New Zealand at the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara.
What are your hopes athletically?
Representing New Zealand reignited a fire inside me to continue training and pushing myself.
What’s your favourite event and training sessions?
Triple jump and long jump My favourite between the two swaps frequently. I love the explosion and speed in both events. My favourite training sessions are speed and plyometric focused. Pushing your body to its limits repeatedly until fatigue.
Tell us about your coach and coaching or biggest influence.
Growing up, I trained with a few knowledgeable coaches all providing stepping stones to get to where I am today. They all saw potential in my ability and each one taught me valuable techniques and mental abilities which I still use to this day.
Lance Smith picked up on my potential at a young age and really set the foundation for my future. This exposed me to athletes in their 20s and I could see that it was possible to continue being competitive post high school. From there I trained with Lorne Singer who coached me while I was mending from injury until I relocated to Christchurch. My first coach back after my break was Bev Peterson, she had a nurturing training style and eased me back in training full time and got me to the fastest I had ever been.
Chris Knight, my current coach in Invercargill, was the one who recommended that I put my name forward to the selection panel for the Pacific Games. He knows my goals and the drive I have to achieve them, with his help he got me into a position to not only be selected but come away from the competition with my head held high, knowing I had done myself, family and him proud.
How has your family helped your athletics journey?
My parents have helped me in numerous ways, from driving me to daily training sessions after school, to sitting in the grandstand cheering me every weekend during the competition season, celebrating my achievements and supporting me through my loses. They were always there backing me and my goals 100% of the time, for this, I will forever be grateful.
What’s next for you in athletics – your aims for the rest of and next season?
The time has come for me to relocate back to Christchurch after spending two years back down in Invercargill. I will be transferring to a new coach and training group.
My goals are to improve my technique in long and triple jump so I can keep achieving personal bests. I want to see how far I can go with the sport now that I have this new drive and motivation to keep doing better.
What is the best part of athletics?
Athletics is classified as an individual sport, but to me, through being with a training squad it becomes essentially a team sport where you spend so much time together supporting one another. This sense of closeness and friendship is one of the best parts about athletics.
All the best for the move to Christchurch Rebecca.