Chris Noffke of Australia in action during the Long Jump final at the World Youth Championships (© Getty Images)
MarrakechAfter Chris Noffke won gold in the long jump at the IAAF/Maroc Telecom World Youth Championships, the first person he publicly thanked was his “chiropractor” – though the 17-year-old Australian star does not suffer with back injuries.
As he explained, his chiropractor, Elias Delphinus, sidelines in psychology and among his previous success stories is Olympic great Carl Lewis.
Noffke recorded 7.97m to out-jump the rest of the field by a massive 44 centimetres.
“I’m very happy with that,” said the Brisbane-based athlete, who had a best legal jump of 7.95m. “I didn’t jump quite as far as I wanted to but it’s still a PB so I can’t complain with that. I wanted to go over eight metres. I’ve done it windy but I wanted to do it legally.”
Delphinus may specialise in an unusual combination of professions but Noffke said his psychological input played a large part in helping him to the new championship record distance.
“He’s helped me a lot with mind problems and how to approach jumping,” he said. “Everyone knows sport’s 95 per cent in your own mind.”
“He told me to understand what I’m capable of and just to think about the right things, back yourself all the way and try and have total control over your thoughts. He taught me to go out there (in competition) and, instead of trying to think about the distance, try and concentrate on maximum air-time. Trying to have fun and enjoying it is a big part rather than getting in there and stressing out.”
Judging by his performances this season, the psychological approach appears to be working. Before the competition in Marrakesh started, he had eight out of the top nine under-18 leaps in the world to his name. In the final, he had four jumps longer than the best effort of the silver medallist Tiberiu Talnar, of Romania.
Noffke, 17, began receiving advice from Delphinus at the age of 11. “I wasn’t having any particular problems but just the normal things. I worried a bit too much. There were a lot of outside influences that could play a part on how you were going.”
Unlike many long-jumpers who switch to the event after trying sprinting, this was his first discipline and he started at the age of only five.
He said: “My parents took me along to ‘Little Athletics’ as we call it in Australia. It’s normal for kids to start that age. We really go for our sports in Australia.”
Noffke said he had benefited greatly from his second major international competition, having competed last year at the IAAF World Junior Championships.
“I’ve learnt a lot from the competition. I’m still learning heaps,” he said.
Next on the agenda for Noffke is aiming to gain selection for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne next spring.
“I want to train really hard and get selected for the Commonwealth Games next year and do well there but here is some tough competition in Australia.”
