Samantha Burke showed the Dunedin-based runners how it is done at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday.
The 16-year-old Mt Aspiring College pupil was in town at the weekend in pursuit of some competition three weeks out from the national secondary schools athletic championships in Timaru.
Burke, who finished fifth in the senior race at the national secondary school cross-country championships in Dunedin in June, punched above her age to record the fastest 1500m time on Saturday.
She clocked 4min 56.74sec to comfortably win the women's 15-17 years race by more than 10sec.
With competitors across all age-groups running at the same time, Burke was the only runner in the field of eight to go under 5min. Hill City-University's Rosemary Stamm (28) was the next fastest in 5min 1.64sec.
Action in the men's 1500m was a lot closer.
Sam Bremer, who is now focusing on the distance, had a thrilling battle with Invercargill's Jordan Rackham.
Bremer (20), of Hill City-University, barely held off Rackham (19) down the home straight to cross the line first in 3min 57.13sec.
Rackham was just 0.14sec behind, but did enough to win the men's 18-19 years section.
Oli Chignell, who is more of a 3000m and 5000m specialist, won the men's 15-17 years age-group in 4min 0.46sec.
Otago 10,000m champion Jonah Smith, who is preparing to defend his title next month, also competed in the race to work on his speed. He was second behind Bremer in the senior men's race in 4min 20.98sec.
Taieri's Christina Ashton benefited from some competition in the form of Christchurch's Fiona Morrison and Jemina Tennekoon in the 100m.
Ashton (18), one of Otago's most promising young athletes, stopped the clock in 12.87sec to win the women's 18-19 years age-group, but Morrison (27) pipped her by 0.19sec.
Morrison is a three-time national champion in the 100m hurdles, and a former 100m champion. Ariki's Rory O'Neill (18) had another good day, and not just in his favoured 100m and 200m events.
The King's High School pupil also lined up in the 400m, and 51.86sec later had the fastest time over the one-lap race of the day.
Among other highlights
• Schuyler Orr (17), of North Otago, won the men's 100m in 11.86sec.
• Taylor Mechen (16), of Hill City-University, won the men's 15-17 years triple jump by 20cm with an 11.74m effort.
• Leonie Palmer (16), of Taieri, pipped Laura MacCulloch, of Aspiring, by 0.17sec to win the women's 15-17 years 100m in 13.38sec.
• Ellie Duncan (15), of Hill City-University, won a thrilling women's 15-17 years 200m race in 26.70sec. Emma Ward (17), of Taieri, was second in 27.49sec, while MacCulloch (16) was third 0.11sec further back.
• Felix McDonald (17), of Taieri, recorded a good double in the men's 15-17 years 100m (12sec) and 200m (23.72sec).
