Ron Warhurst thought Nick Willis was soft when he first arrived in the United States six years ago on a university scholarship.
But the Olympic track coach says he could not have been more wrong.
“Two days later I saw him on the track and he was doing some strides and I said he was the real thing,” says Warhurst. “He's got tremendous form and great spring in the legs so that started the relationship. It's continuing on and hopefully it continues on for many years.”
Warhurst has since guided Willis to an Olympic bronze medal and Commonwealth Games gold.
He believes the 25-year-old is capable of moving up the podium at the 2012 Olympics.
“There’re two more places: there's a silver place and there's a gold place,” says Warhurst. “There's no reason why he shouldn't think of it and I shouldn't think of it as a possibility.”
The pair head back to the United States on Tuesday, but not before they check out this weekend's national track meet in Wellington.
It is there that Ron Warhurst says he will be on the lookout for Nick Willis' heir apparent.
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