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Breaking records is in Sam Ruthe’s DNA.

The teenage running sensation spent most of 2025 smashing numerous age-grade records across multiple middle and long distances and he plans to start the new year by adding another scalp to his list.

The 16-year-old will suit up in the 1000m race in Saturday’s Tauranga Twilight event, where he will look to beat the Under-19 and U20 record on his home track.

James Ford currently holds the U19 record of 2m 23.48s, set in Monaco in 2024, while the U20 record has been standing since 2007 when Carl Mackenzie ran 2m 22.00s in Wellington.

Lots will depend on the conditions on the evening with racing to commence at 6.10pm, but Ruthe has been putting in the hard yards at training with his coach Craig Kirkwood and is determined to break the mark.

However, it won’t be easy as he will face some tough competition from top French runners Felix Rivet and Josue Le Cadre, who are also competing in the event.

Ruthe said this race “will be a proper race”, unlike the 800m or 1500m records he set, when he ran those races solo, only competing against the clock.

“Josue is one of the best 800-metre runners and has a better time than I do. He’s 23 and is an experienced racer so I’m looking forward to lining up with him.

“Craig thinks I can get those if the weather is good but the main thing is going out and having a really hard race against some great competition and I’m looking forward to doing that at home.”

With a busy 2026 calendar, Ruthe said he’s excited at the prospect of competing on his home track.

“Craig sets out my training and racing plan and he figured out a way that I could race at my home track,” Ruthe said. “I get to race at big meets away from home so to have an event like Tauranga Twilight organised locally with a field like we are going to have is exciting.

“It will be only race for the rest of the season at home and it will be great to be able to warm up and race with friends. I have races in Hastings and Whanganui afterwards and then fly to the USA to race indoors in Boston and North Carolina.”

The Tauranga Twilight event will feature 21 events across para, junior and senior athletes.

Sam Ruthe in action in Timaru.

Ruthe’s sister Daisy Ruthe, the New Zealand Secondary Schools Junior 1500m champion, will compete in the 1000m women’s race.

Sam Ruthe has been in scintillating form over the past 12 months, highlighted by breaking two records at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships in Hastings.

He broke the 1500m record by eight seconds, previously held by Commonwealth Games runner Richard Potts since 1989, before setting a new benchmark in the 800m discipline.

Last March, aged 15, the Tauranga Boys’ College student became the youngest person to run a sub-four-minute mile, becoming the 49th New Zealander to break the milestone target in Auckland, in 3m 58.35s.

Olympian Sam Tanner helped lead Ruthe in the second half of that race, setting the pace for the teenager towards the finish line.

Ruthe finished second behind Tanner in 3m 58.35s, with third-placed Ben Wall also breaking the four-minute mile to become the 50th New Zealander to do so.

Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.