The Otautau athlete jumped 11.80m to win the women’s triple jump on Athletics Otago’s opening day at the Caledonian on Saturday.
"It’s the start of the season, first competition; it shows that my training has paid off, so I’m pretty happy," the 17-year-old Central Southland College pupil said.
"I’ve started gym training and that was definitely intense, training three to four times a week.
"I’m at the track every day besides Sunday, and swimming and everything else. Just trying to keep fit and strong and keeping away injuries."
Numbers were low across the meet, although there was tough competition in a handy triple jump field, which included talented Alexandra jumper Adriana Mawhinney.
The winning jump was Mabonga’s best of the calendar year and sees her extend her lead at the top of the national junior rankings, while moving into fourth on the open rankings.
With a personal best of 12.32m, which she achieved while breaking the under-17 record at the Australian junior championships in 2015, she was aiming to jump 13m by the end of the season.
Other goals included jumping 6m in long jump, an event she holds the Southland record in, along with competing at club national championships, Australian junior championships and Oceania championships next year.
However, it was national secondary schools championships that were on her radar at the moment.
Two years ago, she broke the national secondary schools championship senior record, jumping 12.22m.
"[National schools championships] are going to be quite exciting, quite nerve-racking, but with these jumps I think it should help with my nerves because I know roughly where I’m at.
"It will be quite sad because it’s my final nationals, but it will be exciting.
"I guess you always want to perform well, just to keep calm and to hopefully perform like I did today, not get too nervous or excited."
Mabonga was born in Zimbabwe but has spent most of her life in New Zealand. She lived in Opunake, in Taranaki, for eight years, before moving to Southland eight years ago.
Now one of the top young prospects in New Zealand athletics, she had been in Otautau for five years. She is no stranger to the Dunedin track, though.
"Every second or so weekend [I travel up].
"There are competitions in Invercargill, but I guess it’s not the same competing on your home training track. You don’t really take it as seriously, I feel, personally, for me.
"So I come here and train and compete most Saturdays. It’s always warmer; the weather’s always better than Invercargill.
"It’s a good track as well, because our track is quite old and this track is quite good. This prepares you for competitions because you’re never at the same track."
