Lying lost somewhere between Brewarrina and Sydney are a couple of seconds – the margin a young runner burned off her 100-metre personal best between District and State.

Now, after watching Koesha Morris win the 2023 NSW 13 years 100m final at the Primary School Sports Association (PSSA) Athletics Championship, supporters are wondering just how fast she can go.

From a standing start, in unfamiliar spikes, with minimal training, the Brewarrina Central School Year 6 student claimed gold at Sydney Olympic Park on 26 October in a time of 14.23 seconds, after running 13.79 in the preliminary.

It’s not that Koesha was the quickest girl at the champs. Eight younger runners pushed each other in a hard-fought 12-years final to run between 13.31 and 13.77 seconds.

Young Yowie Bay runner, Mia Wood, ran a blistering 12.85 seconds in the 12 years preliminary, before finishing fourth in the final in 13.42 behind Cronulla’s Sophie Howson (13.37).

It’s the 2.17 seconds Koesha shaved off between the district championship in Bourke (where she ran 15.96), the 13.94 she ran at the Western Region Championship in Dubbo, and the 13.79 she ran in the preliminary that has supporters excited about what she could achieve with training, a pair of blocks and a proper start.

Her time of 13.79 in the preliminary put her within a whisker of the NSW event’s age group record of 13.61 seconds.

Koesha is more familiar with a grass field than a tartan athletics track, and prefers joggers to racing spikes, but she’s also a natural athlete who loves rugby league and netball.

She’s not a trained swimmer either, but her enthusiasm took her to the PSSA State Swimming Championships earlier this year, where she finished fourth in the 50 metre event.

Executive Principal Shaun Graham said Koesha was willing to give any sport a go.

“Our whole school community is incredibly proud of Koesha and were cheering her on here in Brewarrina,” he said.

Assistant Principal Romana Moylan-McGuirk said Koesha’s strong desire to do well always shone through.

“Koesha has always been very focused on how to achieve her sporting goals and it was amazing to watch her win,” she said.

Primary Sport Coordinator Jessika Murphy said Koesha’s classmates looked up to her.

“Koesha is not only an amazing athlete, but a positive role model to her peers,” she said.