Bragging rights to determine who is the fastest kid in the school were settled Friday morning at Masich Place Stadium.
Tyler Loth felt pretty confident he'd be the one holding the Heather Park elementary school title as he lined up on the inside lane for the boys 200-metre final.
The Grade 7 student has been the fastest runner in his class for as long he can remember and he already proved he was the top sprinter among eight local schools at the elementary relays when he won the 100-metre event a few weeks ago.
Loth faced some stiff competition from his friend Austin Farina, but by the time they got to the finish there was no question who was the speed king.
Loth won the race by about two seconds, ahead of Loth and third-place Colby Hawkenson.
No times were given for the final but Loth knew he was faster than he was in his heat race, which he finished in about 28 seconds.
"The first race, I didn't have much competition, but in this race they were in front of me (for the first 50 metres) so I had to push myself faster," said the 13-year-old Loth.
Loth also does throwing and jumping events as well, but running is his passion.
He was hoping to join the Prince George Track and Field Club this season, however, that plan hit a roadblock.
"My mom tried to put me in it and she emailed them but they never responded back to her," he said.
Loth and Farina were 1-2 last year in the 200m event last year.
In Friday's race, Farina also overcame a slow start. Farina, 12, prefers distance running.
He lost once to Loth in the 400m event but usually beats his buddy in the 400m, 800m and 1,500m races.
"I was kind of behind at the beginning but I don't like losing and I just wanted to get ahead," said Farina.
About 300 of the 630 students at Heather Park took part in the one-day meet, open to students in grades 4-7.
In the girls 200m finish, Kinsley McClure was all alone at the finish, winning by a comfortable margin over second-place Leila Flaviano.
Brookelyn Van Camp was third. McCure far exceeded her own expectations, compared to her experience last year at the school track meet.
"I was scared and nervous, I was trying so badly to run and beat everybody," said McClure.
"I thought Brookelyn and them were going to pass me. Last year, everybody beat me in everything, I was so bad. But now, for some reason, I've gotten faster."
A growth spurt has helped.
McClure has added about three inches and a lot of that additional length went to her legs.
She trains hard as a wrestler, her favourite sport, and after five years of wrestling she feels stronger.
She also participates in basketball, soccer, swimming and triathlon and she enjoys other track and field events.
"I like the long jump and the shot put - wrestling gives me energy for that," said McClure.
Farrah Normand, who tied Van Camp for first in the second 200m girls heat, which matched McClure's 32-second winning time in the first heat, said it's no secret McClure is the fastest female runner at Heather Park.
"Her legs are so long, she can take really long strides and she's so fast," said Normand, who suffered a mild asthma attack in the final and had to settle for fourth.
"She had the extra practice for relays early in the year and she's into a whole bunch of different sports and that would help her."
The Prince George Track and Field Club is hosting the North Central zone meet this weekend.
Competition started Friday afternoon and will resume with the final day of competition starting today at 9 a.m.
The zone meet is a qualifier for the B.C. High School Championships , June 2-4 in Nanaimo.
