Newstead Athletics' Trinity Inall-Bejah has made a remarkable start to her career as a sprinter.

This year's under-20 women's 100 and 200-metre state champion has been nominated for the female athlete of the year as part of The Examiner's Junior Sports Awards.

She won the under-20 event in 13.25 seconds and the 200m in 26.11 in Hobart in February.

The 18-year-old also came fourth in the open women's 100m in 12.41.

The youngster ran at the national championships in Sydney earlier this year.

She was also runner-up for the Tasmanian Athletic League's open female sprinter of the year award.

The Launceston Christian School year 12 didn't take up sprinting until a couple of years ago.

Up until then she hadn't run seriously before and had only tried swimming.

She explained how she came to meet her coach of about two years, Shane McClenaghan.

"It all started with my school carnival, I was running in the 400m I think and my mum wanted a coach for me because no-one knew I could run until grade 10," she said.

"Mum asked my friend's mum for a coach of some sort and Shane was there.

"Usually Shane only trained boys I think but then he saw me run that 400m and he accepted me immediately."

Since then she's taken the state by storm.

She was the under-18 200m state champion in 2020.

Trinity then backed that up by claiming last year's under-18 and under-20 100 and 200m state crowns.

The teenager also broke a 100m Northern Sports Association of Tasmanian Independent Schools record in 2021.

She noted something which had helped her progress was competing against women in the past year.

What's next for the teenage sensation?

Trinity is chipping away at her 100m personal best of 12.34, which is also an open women's national qualifier.

"I want to get to 11-flat by the end of the year, maybe more than that," she said.

Her 200m personal best is 25.46. She's completing multiple running and gym sessions a week during her off-season.

Do you know someone who is contributing to Northern Tasmanian sport, whether through participating or assisting?

The Examiner's Junior Sports Awards, sponsored by Woolworths, provide acknowledgement of accomplishments by players, coaches, volunteers, teams and clubs across the region.

Nominations close on October 2. Entries must include a photograph of the entrant with nominees to be featured weekly in The Examiner on Wednesdays.

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