Cheerleader's big comeback

Grace Hegh has won 21 gold medals and three silvers in the past two months, after overcoming a major accident. Photo / John Stone

Twenty-four medals sounds like the haul of a Commonwealth Games team, not a 12-year-old girl.

But Northland cheerleader Grace Hegh has overcome major injuries to rack up 21 gold medals and three silvers from competitions in the past two months, bringing her total medal tally to 106.

After the country's biggest cheerleading competition, the All Star Internationals, last weekend, Grace remains the undefeated junior individual and open individual champion - a title she's now held for three years.

It's her dream to become a world champion, a dream that was very nearly shattered with an accident in November last year.

Grace was at her fundraising event for international aerial sport championship, the All Star Games, when the wind picked up the inflatable track she had been tumbling on and flicked her tiny 29kg frame over a car and head-first on to concrete.

She was rushed to Whangarei Hospital with a head injury, that required stitches, a sprained hip and a dislodged growth plate in her elbow. It was later discovered, she had a neck injury.

She had two months off, followed by months of rehabilitation, before heading to compete in the All Star Games in Las Vegas in April this year.

Now back on her home turf, she's feeling better than ever. "I'm back on track. It was kind of like a break."

The Matarau School student spends two nights a week at her family home in Okaihau, two nights in Whangarei and three nights a week in Auckland - all so she can train. "I do as many hours as I possibly can in the gym.

"It's worth it. I have these moments where I'm sad because I don't get to see my family or stay the night with friends, but I tell myself, 'I can't give up'.

"I will win a Worlds ring."

World champions at the International Cheer Union competition in the United States win a highly-coveted ring for their title.

This year was the first time New Zealand won two international titles at the Worlds - the Team New Zealand all-girl team and the co-ed mixed team.

Grace, while currently too young for qualify for these teams, trains with the Team New Zealand development squad, as well as the Fame Flawless level 5 team, based in east Auckland.

In her spare time, she also manages to coach a few hours a week at the new cheerleading gym in Kerikeri, All Star Rhythm.

Which is fitting, given what she wants to do when she eventually retires from cheerleading.

"I'd like to coach and own my own gym. We don't have to win all the medals, but most of them," she said.