Queechy High School can look forward to years of exciting running from Oscar Turale and Aya Cottam.
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The pair took out the year seven boys' and girls' three-kilometre events at the Northern High Schools Sports Association cross-country championships at Scotch Oakburn Park on Tuesday.
They'll work towards the All Schools championships at Symmons Plains at the end of the month.
The top six from each age group made the NHSSA team for that event.
Tuesday's cross-country saw more than 450 year 7-10 students from 18 schools compete from as far away as St Helens.
Most races were 3km while the year nine and 10 boys took on a three-lap 4km course.
A thrilled Aya won her race by about 20m.
"I didn't know what to expect because I hadn't competed against these people before so it was exciting," the 12-year-old said.
You could hear her friends, parents and grandparents cheering her on as she willed herself to the finish line.
"It was pretty hard at the end because I was getting tired," she said.
"Coming around the bend and having to sprint at the end was hard."
A consistent pace helped the youngster get across the line first.
"At the very start, there was a pack and there were some people sprinting ahead and they dropped off and by the second lap I was in front for the whole time," she said.
Aya is no stranger to winning a cross-country having won multiple at Punchbowl Primary.
While she used to do Little Athletics, she's now focused on playing netball, basketball, football and dancing.
She plays for Clovers Netball Club, competes for South Launceston Junior Football Club and shoots hoops for South East Launceston Devils.
Her experience as a football midfielder and netball centre has helped her build endurance.
"I'm used to running because I'm in a running position the whole time," she said.
Oscar, 13, edged out fellow Queechy student and friend, Archie Payne, in a sprint finish.
"It felt pretty good, I wasn't winning the first lap, I was probably back by about 20 metres," he said.
"I pushed a bit harder in the second lap and got him right towards the end."
Like Aya, Oscar also won cross-country races at Punchbowl Primary.
His main sporting passion is basketball and he also plays for Devils.
He plays at representative level for North in the Tri Series as well as with Launceston Lightning.
"I take my basketball pretty seriously, I play that a lot," he said.
"I don't really run that often though, running isn't really one of my main sports."
He's eager to get stuck into the next race at Symmons Plains.
"I'll be nervous but looking forward to it as well," he said.
Riverside High took out division one shield honours with 172 points ahead of Queechy on 273 and Exeter on 489.
Cressy claimed division two with 406 points followed by Port Dalrymple (417), St Marys (424) and St Helens (450).
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