Australia’s next sports star: The rapid athlete from Perth who is breaking national records aged just 16 – but may be lured away by France because of his French mum
- Sasha Zhoya, 16, set new records at the Australian Track & Field Championships
- He broke the national record for Under-18 110m as he crossed finish in 13.05 sec
- The 16-year-old won gold in the Under-20 200m finishing in 21.18 seconds
- However Zhoya is also entitled to represent France as his mother is French skier
A Perth-born teenager could be Australia’s future Olympic champion after breaking national records at the Australian Track & Field Championships.
Sasha Zhoya, 16, blitzed the track with his extraordinary performance in the under 18 110m hurdles at Sydney Olympic Park on Friday.
Zhoya crossed the finish line in 13.05 seconds – the national record for the age group.
Zhoya crossed the finish line in the Under-18 110m hurdles in 13.05 seconds, setting the national record
He also beat his personal best and the world record for a 16-year-old event which was 13.13 seconds.
Zhoya also set a new record in the Under-18 pole vault, clearing 5.56m and beating the previous 5.55m by Emmanouilt Karali in 2016.
He even won gold in the Under-20 200m finishing in 21.18 seconds, which is 0.3 seconds off the national record.
However, athletes are worried he won’t be representing Australia at the 2024 Olympic games in Paris.
Athletes are worried he won’t be representing Australia at the 2024 Olympic games in Paris as he is also eligible to represent France
He beat his personal best and the world record for a 16-year-old event which was 13.13 seconds
The Australian field star’s mother is a former French skier which makes him eligible to represent France.
‘I consider myself Australian, absolutely. Being born here, I grew up here, all my friends are here,’ Zhoya told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘In my heart I want to do Australia but I need to see how things go. It’s a struggle,’ he said.
Athletics Australia have said they are doing ‘everything in its power’ to ensure Zhoya represents Australia.
The Perth-born teenager blitzed the track with his extraordinary performance at Sydney Olympic Park