Runner Madeline Waddell at World U20 Championships Photo: Supplied
Rising track star 16-year-old Madeline Waddell has grown up surrounded by people who know what it takes to compete among the best on the world stage and now she is carving her own place in the New Zealand record books.
Waddell, the daughter of Olympic rowers Sonia and Rob Waddell, has shattered New Zealand age-group 400 metre running records at the World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru.
She flew past old records to set new U17 and U18 national records in the semi-final on her international debut.
With a 53.50 performance, Waddell timed her turn of form to perfection in Lima. After running a personal best of 54.02 in the heat, she followed it up the semi-final in which she improved her best by over half a second.
She finished 14th overall.
Waddell said she went to the world championships to "run fast and enjoy the experience".
However following her heat she knew she was "capable of more and that she could execute better" in the semi-finals.
With some advice from her mum/coach Sonia that "everyone starts from scratch in the semis" the St Peters Cambridge School student said she had less nerves going into the semi-final.
"As I walked off the track and saw my time, there was a bit of disbelief," Waddell shared after her record-breaking run. "I knew I was capable of something fast, but to achieve it at my first major championship feels incredible."
The World Athletics Under 20 Championships (formerly the world junior championships) represent the pinnacle of age group competition in track and field.
After a bit of a break Waddell will be back in action across the New Zealand domestic track and field season from December.