Grade Seven learner Laelynn Sadie is emerging as a promising middle-distance athlete following her strong performance at the D17 cross-country championships at Curro Serengeti on August 26.

Sadie showed why the excitement surrounding her is justified when she fought her way onto the podium in a highly competitive U13 girls’ 4km race.

She was part of the leading quartet headed by Mila Rossouw, with Tumi Seroka and Kayla Botha also in contention shortly after the gun went off. The four remained closely bunched through the opening 2km.

Sadie appeared unfazed by the battle between Rossouw, Seroka and Botha, who regularly compete together at club level, biding her time behind the trio as the race passed the halfway mark.

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She saved her best for the closing stages, finding another gear when it mattered most to drop Botha and secure third place and qualification for the provincial championships.

Sadie finished behind winner Rossouw and runner-up Seroka and will now line up at the Gauteng Schools cross-country championships at Curro Sagewood in Midrand in September.

“I am very happy. The race was hard, tough, but I enjoyed it. I love running. I found my strength on the back end of the course. That’s when I knew I could do it,” she said.

She said qualifying for the Gauteng Schools cross-country championships is another step towards her dream of reaching the national stage.

“At champs, I will fight to qualify for the SA Schools champs. That’s my dream. I can’t wait for the provincial championships,” she said.

Sadie, who started running in Grade Three, aims to represent South Africa at the Olympic Games.

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