Abbie Peet and Isabella Wall were confronted with much more than some of the best junior cross-country runners in Australia at the National All Schools Cross-Country Championships.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The long distance runners also had to contend with the track at Maleny at the end of August.
It was as hilly as they come but the girls pushed through the pain and stepped up to the challenge.
“It was a tough course. It was probably the hardest they've done nationals on before,” Isabella’s dad, John, said.
“It was extremely steep. We walked it on Friday and I thought ‘no way she’d run the whole way’,” Abbie’s dad, Matthew, added.
“But she took 21 seconds off her time from Eastern Creek.”
The speedy time saw Abbie finish with an amazing result and a bronze medal in the 10 years girls multi-class.
Meanwhile, Isabella sprinted home in her race to finish sixth in the 10 years girls.
The weekend – and the incredible results – didn’t stop there for the girls, though.
Isabella won gold with the NSW team, which is determined by each state’s six fastest times combine together.
The girls then took part in relays in their respective events.
They did a one-kilometre leg each as Abbie came away with a gold medal and Isabella only just missed out on gold as her relay claimed silver.
The results made their parents as proud as punch.
John said it was “a very special moment” while Matthew said his daughter was “pretty happy to get a medal”.