He kaimekemeke Māori, e tekau ma ono tau te pakeke, kua whakaingoatia hei tākaro ki ngā whakataetae World Youth Championships ki Īnia a tērā marama, heoi ko tā Shaylah Waikai aronga nui ko ngā taumāhekeheke rua mano rua tekau.
Tekau ma ono tau noa iho tana pakeke, heoi e rite ana a Shylah Waikai mō te ao.
Hei tāna 'My speed is definitely my advantage, I learned that from a young age. That's because I'm really light for my age.'
He uri nō Rāhui Pōkeka, inaianei e noho ana ki te One Kura. I tēnei tau i wikitōria a Waikai i te mētara hiriwa ki ngā whakataetae hoa whenua rangatahi ki a Bahamas. E mea ana tōna pāpā, a Mete Waikai ko te whakakanohi i tōna whenua ūkaipō, kaore he painga i tua atu. “She said "Dad I'm a Māori, I'm fighting for back home for New Zealand" and that was her choice.”
'My family made me feel like I got the gold so that was the main thing that touched me. But overall I'm proud of my achievements, I never thought I would get to that point. Next time its gold!' tā Waikai.
Mō ngā tau e wha a Damien O'Connor e kaiako ana i Shylah. Hei tāna he mahuri tōtara. “The thing with Shylah is she's been consistent, she's stayed at it. Most kids they come, they go. That kids there every night and that's why she gets results” tā O'Connor.
Ko te manako nui tā Waikai ma ōna hua e whai wāhi ai ia ki ngā Taumāhekeheke, “I'm definitely confident in getting picked because these trips have made me more experienced knowing what I'm going to come up against.”
Ka whanake ake ngā whakataetae World Youth Championships hei te tekau ma iwa o Whiringa a Rangi.
