Myah a silver streak at NZ cross-country champs

TWO WILL DO: Gisborne’s Myah Houthuijzen at the medal presentation after placing second in her under-13 girls’ age group at the New Zealand cross-country championships in Auckland. Pictures supplied

SHE went for the experience. She returned home as New Zealand’s second-fastest under-13 girls’ cross-country runner.

Myah Houthuijzen was once again the darling of Gisborne Harriers Club after her performance at the New Zealand Cross Country Championships in Auckland on Sunday.

The 12-year-old won silver in the u13 girls’ division of the champs held at Auckland Domain.

It came three weeks after winning gold in her age group at the North Island champs in Taupo.

Myah completed Sunday’s 2-kilometre distance in 7 minutes 40 seconds to finish just 6secs behind winner Bella Earl of the Hatea Athletic and Harrier Club.

She was still buzzing yesterday.

“I’m so psyched. It was so unexpected. I really only went for the experience of competing at the nationals.”

Myah chased the winner all the way amid the u13 boys who raced at the same time.

She gave it everything she had as she knew the third-placed runner wasn’t far behind her — 6secs at the finish.

Myah’s mother Yoko was worried she had gone out too fast.

“She took off quite quickly this time. She usually hangs back and I thought “ooh, it’s too quick’. But she didn’t slow down and she was so stoked. She just keeps running really well.”

The Ilminster Intermediate student is already eyeing her next big race — the Bay of Plenty Poverty Bay intermediate schools cross-country in Tauranga on August 11.

Then the focus shifts to the AIMS Games where she will compete in the cross-country and multisport events.

Meanwhile, Gisborne teenager Le’Sharn Anderson also raced at the New Zealand cross-country champs. She placed 11th in the u15 girls’ 3km race in 12 minutes 29secs.

There was a Gisborne connection to another winner at the NZ champs.

Sophie Webber, who won the u11 girls’ title, is the daughter of multisport couple Jeremy and Clare Webber, who lived in Gisborne for several years before shifting to Taupo, then to Australia and back to Taupo.

Sophie, who was born in Gisborne in January of 2007, also won her age group at the North Island champs.