Hawke's Bay's Buckingham Guards shone brightly in difficult circumstances in the Marching New Zealand Championships in Christchurch on Friday.
The junior team (under 12s) came second overall out of 66 teams in the championships, leaving coach Stacey Sime thrilled with their performance.
The nationals took place in Horncastle Stadium on Friday, which went into lockdown during the competition due the terror attacks.
Sime, who has been coaching for 20 years, said the girls remained calm throughout the ordeal, supported one another and staying focused throughout.
After getting multiple phone calls from concerned parents, she was able to share photos of the teams on their "Marching" Facebook page to show parents and caregivers that the teams were safe.