Advertisement
Home News Real Life

Nine-year-old sports star Sarah’s already the best in the world

The Christchurch livewire is off to the US to represent New Zealand
Sarah Wadsworth sitting on some grassPhotos: Tessa Burrows.

She hasn’t yet reached double digits, but Sarah Wadsworth already has two world championships and three world records in disc golf and frisbee throwing under her belt.

Advertisement

“I just like throwing things!” laughs the nine-year-old from Christchurch, where she lives with mum Angeline, 51, who works for MetService, dad and coach Paul, 56, and older brother Callum, 15. “It just sort of happened, but it’s really fun. And I’m good at it.”

In December, Sarah set the new under-10 world distance record for frisbee throwing with a toss of 104.31 metres, smashing her previous record by almost nine metres and cementing her place as the highest-rated under-10 female of all time in disc golf.

In June, she and her dad will travel to the US, where she’ll compete in the Junior Disc Golf World Championships in Kansas and the US Women’s Disc Golf Championships in Texas – Sarah’s first of the five major Professional Disc Golf Association tournaments.

The young Kiwi’s road to becoming the best in the world started when Paul “dragged her along” to athletics club with Callum.

Advertisement

“There aren’t really any opportunities for children of that age in athletics – most places start kids at five,” explains Paul, a former elite javelin thrower and rugby player. “Sarah was only four, but once she had a go at shotput and discus, she was hooked.”

Sarah Wadsworth with her family
Brother Callum, mum Angeline and dad Paul are Team Sarah all the way!

Alongside athletics, Sarah took up gymnastics, trampoline, dance, tennis, rugby, ice hockey, skating and swimming. But it wasn’t until she turned six, when she was given her first golf disc, that she found her passion.

“Friends introduced us to the game in 2021. Sarah just picked up a disc, did a cartwheel and threw the disc as she came out of it. It was perfect,” tells her proud dad. “It became clear to everyone very quickly that she had natural talent.

Advertisement

“The owner of New Zealand disc company RPM, who sponsored Sarah at the 2023 World Champs, stopped what he was doing when he saw her and said, ‘Who’s that?’ He said she was extraordinary.”

Disc golf is essentially played like golf. The goal is to get your disc, or frisbee, into each of the 18 holes in the fewest possible throws. By the time Sarah was seven, she’d started throwing 55 metres. At the time, the world record for the under-8 girls category was 52 metres. So when a friend suggested Paul enter Sarah for a world record, they decided it was a great idea.

Sarah Wadsworth throwing a frisbee

“She was super-keen, so we set it up. In 2023, she threw 62.07 metres, which was the record for girls under eight,” says Paul. “Last year, she threw 86.36 metres, the record for girls under nine.”

Advertisement

Now sponsored by major disc manufacturer Dynamic Discs, preparation is underway for the US trip. Sarah trains around her school and extracurricular activities. The family is also fundraising via a Givealittle page, on Facebook, selling chocolates and discs, plus hosting quiz nights.

While Dad coaches and Angeline organises, Callum is chief cheerleader, moral support and unofficial photographer – although sometimes there are hiccups!

“At the 2024 Oklahoma World Champs, Callum took the camera around the course to get shots of her competing,” recalls Angeline. “At the end, we looked through them and there wasn’t a single photo of her teeing off. Callum had been so nervous for his sister that he hadn’t dared look, so didn’t get any pictures!”

Sarah isn’t a kid that likes to sit still – as is evident when the Weekly catches up with her. She’s constantly on the move – a very different personality type to Callum.

Advertisement

“I prefer a much slower pace than Sarah!” he laughs, as he playfully wrestles his sister back into her chair for our chat.

With her trophies
“I want to be the youngest person ever to turn pro,” says Sarah.

“When Callum did athletics, if the person in front of him tripped, he would stop and help them,” recalls Angeline. “Sarah’s the opposite – she’s more likely to run right over the top of them! She’s very competitive.”

The doting mum adds Sarah didn’t get any sporting prowess from her.

Advertisement

“When I was at school, I got the Dedication Cup for always coming last in athletics,” she admits. “Callum and I are more the supporters – we leave the competitive stuff to Sarah and Paul.”

While Sarah still has another year to go in juniors before progressing to the intermediate disc golf category, she says she has big ambitions.

“I just want to be the youngest person ever to turn pro,” she grins. “Then when I’m older, I’ll still do disc golf – and maybe be a teacher too. I really want to do a lot!”

You can help Sarah by donating to her Givealittle page.

Advertisement

Related stories


Get NZ Woman’s Weekly home delivered!  

Subscribe and save up to 29% on a magazine subscription.

Advertisement
Advertisement