Aiming for an even higher bar, and matric
● No matter how high he jumps or how far he travels, bright-eyed matric pupil Breyton Poole cannot escape his homework.
The world under-18 high-jump champion from Paul Roos Gymnasium school in Stellenbosch is in Gold Coast for the Commonwealth Games, about 11 650km away from his teachers.
He has a 2.25m personal best, a height that has made the podium at three of the last four editions of this showpiece, and he’s hoping to win a medal.
That requires his full attention, he says, adding with a mischievous smile that he’s been unable to start the school work he brought along, like the English setwork book, Life of Pi.
“I have to get to chapter 36, which is quite hectic,” said Poole, who recently turned 18. “I haven’t started yet. I haven’t had time yet, so hopefully on the flight back I can start reading that book. If I’m still awake.”
But that’s not all he has on his plate. “I’ve got my laptop here as well, I’ve got to do some maths and stuff. All my teachers took my e-mail so they send my work through.
Teachers on his back
“I’m not that keen to work, I’ve got to keep focused,” he said with a laugh.
The teachers understand his pressures and have been lenient, but there was a time he skipped an oral to compete in Namibia without informing his English teacher.
“My teacher [e-mailed] me while I was at the competition: ‘Why did you leave before the oral?’.
“I have to let them know before the time. I didn’t tell her so she was a bit upset. My oral wasn’t 100%,” he admitted with an impish smile.
Poole is in action in the qualifying rounds tomorrow morning (2.20am SA time) when he tries to progress to Wednesday’s final.
At 1.73m, Poole knows he needs to get a bit taller. “I grew 1cm since last year, so I haven’t been growing that much.
“I would like to grow to 1.80m. I know it’s quite far, but I’m still growing. A bit of height would help a lot.”
But height isn’t everything, he points out. “For taller guys they have to get those long legs over the bar.
“I’m short, I can manoeuvre quickly over the bar. It counts in my favour.”