She was a national silver medalist two years ago.
Last year, Emma Balazs didn't qualify to run against the best in Canada and didn't realize just how much she missed flaunting her fast feet on the country's biggest athletics stage.
Until, that is, she reclaimed a spot on Team BC last weekend and guaranteed herself a trip to Prince Edward Island for the 2012 Legion National Youth Track and Field Championships.
Balazs locked up a spot in nationals when she obliterated the qualifying standard and finished second in the 2,000-metre steeplechase at the BC Athletics jamboree in Coquitlam. The 17-year-old member of the Prince George Track and Field Club needed to run a sub-seven minute 22-second time and clocked in at 6:58.29. Her time was a personal-best by 11 seconds and placed her behind only Regan Yee of Hazelton, who stepped across the line in 6:55.30.
Balazs is still basking in the glow of her accomplishment.
"It feels so good," she said. "I've been working really hard for this."
At last year's qualifying meet, Balazs ran the required time for nationals but placed third behind Yee and Tanya Humeniuk of Vancouver. Only the top two moved on to nationals, so Balazs was left off Team BC.
This year, a highly-motivated Balazs felt good about her chances for success and got a mental boost a couple hours before her race.
"I checked who was in the race because I didn't want to do that before," she said. "I checked and saw that [Humeniuk] wasn't in it. That made me even more confident."
The national championship meet is Aug. 17-19 in Charlottetown. Balazs's goal for the 2,000m steeplechase is a podium finish.
Based on the numbers, that's a completely realistic target.
"The [qualifying] standards for BC are based on the average of the top three finishes [at nationals] for the previous five years," Balazs said. "So, pretty much if you make the BC team you have a shot at getting a medal."
At the 2010 nationals, held in Ottawa, Balazs earned her steeplechase silver in the 1,500m distance, a race in which Humeniuk grabbed gold. Balazs's silver medal is hanging from a rod in her bedroom and is waiting for company.
"There's a spot right next to it," she said with a grin.
Balazs is the only track club athlete who qualified for the Legion nationals.
At the BC jamboree, Vanderhoof's Alexander Nemethy -- also a member of the club -- earned a bronze medal in the 2,000m run for 15-year-olds. His time was 6:06.48, which placed him behind Nickolas Colyn of Langley (5:50.71) and Jemal Reta of New Westminster (5:57.75).
