Article added: Monday 09 September 2024

By Henry Lee

Mia Thomson is proof that persistence pays off.  

After finishing third in last year’s Year 7 girls race, the 13-year-old stormed home to win the AIMS Games cross country Year 8 title at Waipuna Park yesterday. 

Mia, from Paraparaumu Beach School on the Kapiti Coast, has a family full of long-distance runners and said her plan was always to get ahead from the start.

“I normally like to lead from the front but I was really nervous today,” she said. 

After spending 10mins 59.08secs galloping freely in open spaces, Mia will spend the rest of the week confined to a small hockey goal, bedecked in padding. Answering the call from her schoolmates, she’s agreed to be the goalkeeper in Paraparaumu girls’ hockey team for the rest of the tournament.

Leo Green from Churchill Park School in Auckland, meanwhile, emerged victorious once again, taking out the Year 8 boys’ division. Yesterday’s victory secured back-to-back Zespri AIMS Games cross country titles for the 12-year-old. Finishing with a time of 10:18, Leo finished ahead of fellow Aucklanders Tobias Crowhurst from Glendowie School, and Huw Robinson from Whangaparaoa College.

Leading the charge in the Year 7 girls’ division in 2024 was Mila Moore from Cambridge Middle School, with a time of 11:42, overcoming Sophie Reid from Aquinas College and Olivia Leckie from St Joseph’s (Feilding), who both clocked times of 11:57.

Claiming the top spot in the Year 7 boys division was Alby Richards of St Kentigern College with a time of 11:07.85, only one second in front of Seb Bell from Otumoetai Intermediate.

Josh Johansen from Rosmini College claimed bronze, finishing 5secs back from the top two finishers.

Alby raced to the lead after conquering the soul-destroying Waipuna Park hill, although claims he was struggling late in the race.

“I felt like I was going to pass out but I just kept going,” he said. 

The cross country event also featured two Athletes With Disabilities divisions, won by Kane Biddle from Te Aho O Te Kura Pounamu School in the Year 7 and 8 boys’ division and Tilly Oliver-Chambers from Helensville School in the girls’ division.