Nikita (15) won her gold medals in the long jump (3.09m), discus (12.37m), shot put (5.12m), 100m (16.42sec), 200m (34.99sec) and 400m (1min 28.57sec). The 200m was a New Zealand record.
The only other Otago athlete to break a national record at the New Zealand secondary schools athletics championships was Matt Aitken (Otago Boys') in the AWD javelin with 20.94m.
There are speed genes in the White family because Nikita's brother Ricky (Sara Cohen) was known as the flying whippet when he was runner-up in the AWD 100m, 200m and 400m at the same event in Timaru last year.
Nikita had kept her athletics talent under wraps but emerged at the Otago Girls' High School sports last February.
She was taken under the wing of school coach Jarrod Adams and her talent has blossomed as she has trained consistently.
Nikita was excited when she saw the huge crowd of 3000 athletes and spectators in Hastings.
"I liked the atmosphere," she said. "I wasn't scared at all. I just wanted to do my best."
She knew she was ready for a top performance after a breakfast of raspberry jam on toast.
Her mother, Julie McKenzie, knew that her daughter had the ability to win one or two gold medals in the intellectually handicapped events but not six.
Nikita praised her mother for holding garage sales and selling cheese rolls to raise the $900 needed for the trip.
"I wanted to win for Mum," she said. "I run for the family. I was really proud."
Nikita demonstrated courage in Hastings because she landed awkwardly in the long jump and had to compete in the rest of her events with a swollen ankle. She wore running flats instead of spikes.
The next major assignment for the Otago Girls' High School pupil is the South Island secondary schools championships in Christchurch in April.
