The words that nearly killed my dreams

Let's run this race together

Giving up...

I was running against eighty-plus 12-year-olds in the Auckland championships.

The 2-mile road race was about to begin.

I was only 9 years old, pushing 65 pounds, with an asthma inhaler in one hand, surrounded by boys who appeared to me to be the size of men.

To begin with, I wasn't terrified at all, I was excited, I wanted to win.

The start line…