Jacob Radcliffe is on track to break the Zespri Aims Games cross country record – and he’s only just warming up.

With a 3km personal best of 9m 57s, he’s already running faster than last year’s race winner, as well as 2022 champion Sam Ruthe’s time of 10 minutes flat. That’s the same Sam Ruthe who this year became the youngest person in history to run a four-minute mile.

When this cross-country runner from Christchurch hits the tracks, people know who he is. Jacob has become the one to watch.

“He is certainly raising the bar down here in Christchurch,” his father Shannon Radcliffe said.

It will be Jacob’s first time at the Zespri Aims Games this year and he’ll be waving the flag for Mairehau Primary School as the sole competitor.

“I’m feeling a little nervous, but also excited,” Jacob said.

He’s been running since 2022 after joining the New Brighton Club – the same club his grandad and six-time Buller Gorge Marathon winner Melville Radcliffe ran for.

The 78-year-old Radcliffe also has a Rotorua Marathon gold ribbon to his name. Now it’s Jacob’s turn to carry on his grandad’s legacy.

Grandad and grandson like to follow the training style of one of Aotearoa’s greatest athletics coaches of all time – Arthur Lydiard.

“Grandad always tells me not to train too hard too soon,” Jacob said.

While nowadays more of a supporter from the sidelines, Melville Radcliffe is “very proud” of his two grandsons, Jacob and older brother Caleb Radcliffe.

In the last three years, Jacob has continued to smash his running goals. His personal bests, so far, include 5km in 16m 48s, 3km in 9m 57s, 1500m in 4m 43s and 800m in 2m 16s.

Already a national champion, Jacob won the New Zealand Under-14 Cross Country Championship in Napier last year and the Canterbury Cross Country Championships, also in 2024.

He was also crowned the Inter Regionals cross country Year 6 champion in 2023.

“Jacob likes to set his own goals and he’s got some big goals for 2025. He loves to keep breaking his own personal records,” Shannon Radcliffe said. “We’re starting to see a real drive in him - in the more serious events, we’re starting to see a professionalism right from the week leading up to an event, to the morning of and the warm up.”

Now, August 30 to September 5 has been etched into the calendar for the week-long intermediate-aged sporting showcase that attracts thousands of athletes and their supporters to Tauranga.

Jacob’s aiming to be at his peak by the time the Aims Games rolls around. He’s already beaten last year’s winning time of 10m 18s and Sam Ruthe’s 2022 time of 10 minutes, while he’s just a split second off the 2016 Aims record of 9m 56s.

But Jacob also knows it will come down to what happens on the day. He’s studied the Aims Games cross country course from start to finish.

“There’s a big steep hill, which is great because I’m pretty good at running hills,” he said. “The course looks challenging, but I’m up for it.”

But Shannon Radcliffe said while Jacob hasn’t lost a cross country event in two years, his son was humble about his achievements.

“He’s always encouraging others to run with him,” he said. “The biggest thing as parents is that he is creating a community of people who want to run with him and share in his journey alongside him.”

– Zoe Hunter, Aims Games Media