Rising middle distance star Emma Abraham made an immediate impact at the annual Whanganui Secondary Schools Cross Country yesterday by easily winning the Year 9 Girls 3km event.
The 13-year-old was running on home turf with the event hosted by Wanganui Collegiate School and featuring nine schools from the region.
Pre-race, Collegiate coach Alec McNab tipped Abraham would be a serious winning show yesterday after her recent performance at a Wellington athletics meet where she raced in a 2km relay. Her team finished second in the U16 Girls event and Abraham ran the 11th fastest time of all competing that day.
"But when I checked how her time against the older girls would have stacked up in her own Year 9 age group, Emma would have run the fifth fastest time against strong company," McNab said yesterday. "She is definitely one to watch in the coming years."
Abraham yesterday conceded middle distance were her favoured races. "I felt good out there today and I'm sure middle distance will be best for me."