Running a 400-meter race in 59 seconds is no easy feat but Sienna Naidoo is taking her success in stride. With her eyes firmly set on one day representing her country at the Olympics, this 15-year-old looks set to make it big.
Sienna, a Grade 11 pupil at Greenbury Secondary School in Phoenix, said she started running at the age of 10. She joined Aspire Sports Coaching Academy and was coached by the legendary Lux Gordhan. Gordhan has coached numerous athletes in his 50-year career – many of whom have gone on to be sporting greats..
“When I started running, I was just looking to do some kind of sport. I really took to running,” said Sienna. “When I’m running, I get a feeling of being completely free, like an eagle soaring through the sky, I’m racing through the tracks. It’s a wonderful feeling and I just love it.”
Representing her school, she tried out for the KwaZulu-Natal Championships in Pietermaritzburg in March, and was placed in the top three, finishing a 400-meter race in 59 seconds. Earlier this month she competed in the Athletic South Africa National Championships in Germiston, Johannesburg. She ran the girls’ under-17, 400m race and came in fifth place – completing it in 1 minute 3 seconds. She was placed 11th in the country.
“I am happy with my results,” she said.
“I’m taking a month off training and will get back to running after some rest. I want to work on improving my race time and next year I want to compete in the finals.”
Sienna also participated in the Athletics South Africa National Championship in Paarl, Cape Town in 2021. Inspired by American track and field runners, Allyson Felix and Florence Delorez Griffith – Sienna hopes to one day be like them.
“I would encourage others to take up running as a sport. Aside from keeping fit and staying healthy, it helps keep a healthy mental state of mind,” said Sienna.
“I train four times a week for two hours a day. My mum is a runner and I guess I followed in her footsteps. My dad is a personal trainer and body builder. So, keeping fit and staying healthy runs in my blood. I am grateful to everyone who has been a part of my journey. I am happy to have achieved all I have so far, it has been overwhelming. But I know that this is just the start of my journey, my ultimate goal is to represent South Africa at the Olympics one day.”
Sienna plans to study sport science after she matriculates..
