Double Olympic hopes for Taupō 16-year-old
He is 16 and his goal is to represent New Zealand at the Olympics in two different sports, shooting and running. Bring on Los Angeles 2028.
Year 11 Taupō-nui-a-Tia College student Casey Thorby has done the ground work. This year Casey went to the NZ Clay Target Association Championships in Christchurch hoping to qualify for the junior national clay bird shooting team but did so well he qualified for the open New Zealand national team. In 2020, Casey ran eight half marathons, won four and was second for three, and was fifth overall for the half marathon in the Auckland Marathon.
He started shooting in Year 7 when at Taupō Intermediate then joined the Taupō-nui-a-Tia College team at year 11.
“I am part of the Taupō Clay Target Club. I joined at year 9 to see what would happen. Competed, got really serious and continued on.”
Coached by Tim Birdsall through the club and privately through Jarrod Mudford, just before lockdown Casey went to the New Zealand Clay Target Association nationals in March.
“It was my first time shooting in Christchurch. It was a three-day event on new ground. I got through the qualifying rounds and then three juniors [aged under 21 years] qualified for the open national team.”
In Christchurch, Casey also came away with silver in the Single Barrel B Grade, and bronze in the Point Score B Grade competition.
A second clay bird shooting opportunity arose in September at the NZ Secondary Schools’ Clay Target Competition, which this year was shot in the regions due to Covid19 before the results were collated in Christchurch.
Casey scored 201 points out of a possible 205 points and the secondplace getter shot 198 points.
“I missed three targets over the whole competition,” said Casey.
He also won gold in the singlebarrel competition and silver in the points score competition. His efforts also gained him a place in the Eastern Regions Bay of Plenty regional teams event, where he placed second for the boys individual event. Casey also made the North Island team.
When asked why he is so good, Casey says it is because at least once a month he practices and makes the effort to enter interclub competitions.
“My mum takes me to competitions on the weekend around the Central North Island. I enter single-barrel and single-rise point score events.”
He can’t practice at home, as there is no trap, but says he shot plenty of rabbits on the farm at Reporoa during lockdown with a .22 rifle.
Mother Rachel Ruthe says in no way is Casey’s shooting accuracy inherited. He got into it at age 11 through neighbours in Reporoa.
“I am really proud of him. I tried it and couldn’t hit a target. His father [Troy Thorby] does not have a background in shooting.”
Taupo¯ Intermediate School’s Bevan Docherty Challenge was an inspiration to Casey’s running goals.
“I finished the half marathon and said ‘I am never doing that again, that was insane’.”
But as a year 9 student, Casey wanted to win the school cross country event in 2018.
“I sort of got into half marathons by accident due to [sports teacher] Miss Simone Stewart.
“Now I do a half marathon at least once or twice a month.”
Winning the Xterra Trail Run in Waihi meant Casey qualified for the 2021 Xterra Trail Run World Championships in Hawaii.
“I will go if I can. We’ll have to see what the world is up to.”
Last month, Casey won the Craters Trail Run in a time of one hour and 20 minutes. He won by 12 minutes.
Rachel says Casey is super motivated to train. His personal best over 10km is 33 minutes and he averages 38 to 40 minutes,
“Every day I train after school. Even if it’s raining. I do 12km every day, from school to Huka Falls and back and then Mum has finished work and she takes me home.”
Rachel says Casey trains every day, including Christmas Day, his birthday, and in the rain.
He says it’s his goal to be a double Olympian at the 2028 Games in Los Angles, aiming to make the team for marathon running and clay bird shooting.
Shorter-distance running coach Don Dalgleish helps him with his half marathon goals. Casey says his current running mentor is ultramarathon runner Michael Voss, 23, from Rotorua.
“I have to stick with half marathons till I am 18 years old. I won’t run full marathons until I am 25.”
In the meantime, Casey has his heroes. His clay bird shooting hero is coach Jarrod Mudford and his running hero is Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge, 36, the first person to run a marathon under two hours.