3 Qs: Pardon Ndhlovu

Originally published in the Spring, 2016 issue of A., Augusta University’s alumni magazine.

Pardon Ndhlovu came to Augusta University as an international student from Zimbabwe. During his time as a student, Ndhlovu also served as a graduate assistant coach for both the cross country and track and field teams. In 2015, he tentatively qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

1.You graduated from the MBA program in December. What have you been doing since graduation?

• My focus is on training for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. At the end of April,  I will find out if I’ve made the team. I am currently looking to train with other marathoners who can help me be competitive at the world stage.

2.  What will you need to do in order to be competitive in Rio?

• I’ll do marathon-specific training. The goal will be to run under 2:10 or 2:08. I’ll do research on the previous Olympic times and find some training camps I can join that will push me to be my best.

3.  What does it take to be an elite athlete?

• You have to be driven to get out the door and put in hours to train and improve. Believe in the process, and be patient enough to know that regardless of what you do today, you won’t see immediate results tomorrow. You have to have specific goals.