She's just 8-years-old, but Symone Tafuna'i is already setting records.
The long-legged runner has smashed a 22-year-old Auckland Junior Athletics Track and Field Championship sprint record.
Set in 1985, the time to beat in the 8-year-old girls' 60m sprint was 9.19 seconds.
Speedy Symone clocked 9.1 seconds at the Mt Smart competition last
month.
Despite the achievement the Avondale girl is modest about her ability.
``I aim to do my best every race, but it doesn't matter if you don't win, as long as you come a place,'' she says.
The Henderson Holy Cross pupil joined Waitakere City Athletics Club when she was just 3-years-old. It keeps her fit and healthy, she says.
``When I was 3 I was watching the news and they had fast people running on there. I said to my Mum that I wanted to do athletics and that one day I would be one of those fast people.''
Symone was also fast enough to win three races, the 60m, 100m and 200m sprints, at the North Island Games in January.
``I like the athletics because they don't really push you, they just let you have fun.''
Symone's weekly schedule is almost as fast-paced as she is.
She trains for athletics and swimming, does hip-hop dance, learns piano, has maths and English tutoring and plays flippaball, a junior version of water polo. ``I don't like to watch television, it gets too boring.'' - by Kylie Munro
