A Wānaka teenager is the fastest girl in Australasia thanks to her winning a gold medal at the Australian National Athletics Championships this week.

Aspiring Athletics Club member and Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) student Phoebe Laker (16) travelled with her mother Rebecca to Perth for the event on April 6-7.

Phoebe won her first heat comfortably, easing up 60m out from the finish yet still recording a faster time (56.44s) than she did in winning the New Zealand National Champs in Dunedin in March. 

In the final she won the Women’s U17 race in 53.87s - a personal best (PB) by 1.47s - and significantly ahead of the rest of the field (1.48s ahead of second place).

Phoebe’s time was also 0.32s faster than the WU18 time.

“We can rightly say that she is now the fastest 400m of girls aged 16 and under in Australasia,” AAC head coach Michael Beable said.

“Phoebe is now unbeaten in all her 400m races, across New Zealand and Australia, for the last 27 months, and by very significant margins this season.”

Michael said she ran the race “superbly well”.  

“Basically, she ran the whole race on her own from the 50m mark, not seeing anybody else in the race from then onwards. That was the plan, of course, but it was so good to see her execute it so well, including her running posture and nice striding down the back straight, kicking for home at the right time, keeping her form to the finish.”

Her new 400m time sets Otago records for girls aged 16-19. She now owns all the Otago 400m records for girls aged 13-19. She also has the Otago records for the 200m, for girls aged 16-18.

Michael said it was "remarkable" that Phoebe had achieved this without access to a nearby all-weather surface to train on.

Phoebe will now take a well-deserved rest after beginning her competition campaign back in October 2024.

PHOTO: Supplied