A couple of weeks ago Maia Thorpe, 10, a year 6 pupil at Ashgrove School, and a keen sportswoman, broke her wrist and arm while playing soccer at school.
But then she decided she wanted to defend her age group title at her recent school cross-country championship.
She has won the title for her age for the last two years and didn’t want a broken arm to ruin her chances of keeping her crown.
"I wanted to run, but the doctor said he wouldn’t advise it as it was too soon after the accident, so did my dad - Brad Thorpe - but I was determined to race and retain my title as the fastest runner in my age group at school.
"However, I was very nervous as I didn’t know how to run with the heavy cast in place on my left arm."
The race route consisted of laps around nearby Ashgrove Park.
"I thought it would be a bit sore and heavy, but dad adapted a broken shoulder strap he had that helped me run comfortably.
"He also advised me to grab hold of my t-shirt with my left hand to stop it swinging around."
She easily won the race, but could hear her friend Isla Kelso catching up to her near the finish.
When she finally gets the cast off, Maia is hoping to get in a couple of league and rugby games before the season ends.
"It is sore at the moment and very itchy.
"The doctor said I can’t scratch it, but they will cut this cast off this week to see how it's healing, I might get a shorter lighter one,’’ she says.
While waiting for her trip to the emergency department at the hospital, Maia says her arm looked a bit longer as she sat with the teacher who helped keep her spirits up after the accident with funny stories.
"Dad had to take me there in his work truck, and then he carried me into the hospital where they x-rayed it and put the cast on it.
"They put it in a sling but it didn’t fit, so I had to get another one."
It was also very eye-opening for the young athlete as she saw many other children and people in the ED, all waiting to get a cast on their injuries.
"It was very hard for me to stop giggling, as the doctor had given me laughing gas, and it all felt so funny."
