Kara Beytell is leaving her opponents in the dust.
The 12-year-old, who attends Laerskool Selection Park, was selected for the Central Gauteng cross-country team when she participated in the CGA Cross Country Championships on August 19.
Kara placed fourth in her age group which led her to make the team that will participate in the SA Championships in Gqeberha on September 16.
“This is a dream come true,” she said.
The track star, who is also a member of the Springs Striders Athletics Club, started running at the age of six.
“She is the not-so-little shining star of our club,” said club secretary Kim Westley.
Elaine, her mother, describes Kara’s journey.
“She was competing only on a school level for athletics and cross-country and was doing dancing and gymnastics,” she said.
Her mother, who is also an avid and passionate runner, says Kara started joining her on her runs during the Covid lockdown.
“With no traditional schooling or extracurricular activities, she ran with me every day to keep fit, healthy and sane and that is when the running bug bit her.
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“She loves running and leading a healthy lifestyle. She is always determined and disciplined and eager to go for a run,” she added.
In 2022 Kara decided to give up dancing but she continued with gymnastics.
“She has fallen in love with running,” affirmed her mother.
Elaine went on to talk about Kara’s plans for the immediate future.
“Her aim this year is to break as many records as she can and to run in the nationals. I am super proud. She has worked hard for it. It means more to me especially because as a mother-daughter duo, running has become our love language,” she said.
