11-year-old Noongar athlete Kyla Narrier is over the moon after winning silver in the 400m at the 2023 Australian Junior Athletics Championships.

The shy athlete from Joondalup Athletics Club (Perth) challenged herself this year by competing with the under 13 girls for a chance of winning a medal.

Kyla competed in three track events the 800m, 200m and 400m which was held over a course of four days in Brisbane.

Because of her age, Kyla had to qualify against the under 14s to even be considered to travel to Brisbane for the Junior Championships.

Once she qualified and made the required times for each race she was allowed to run in the under 13 category.

Kyla said she felt she was ready to tackle the challenge but did feel the pressure of the big crowd and cameras surrounding her.

In her first two races Kyla got off to a rocky start and did not get the outcome she had wanted.

"I was excited but I was really nervous for my first race in the 800 and I didn't really do that well," she said.

Before her 200m race Kyla had no time to fully recover from her nerves which resulted in a bad start.

With one more chance to prove to herself that she was capable of taking home a medal, Kyla wanted to push herself with her 400m race.

"My last race was my 400 and I had to be in the top three to go into the finals," She said.

Kyla crossed the finish line in third place.

Overall she was happy to qualify for finals and her hard work even earned her a personal best (PB).

When the finals day finally arrived Kyla described the day filled with nerves and excitement, feelings she was now accustomed to.

"When I heard that gun go off I just said do well in the first 100 and then hold until the second 100," she said.

It was a close race between Kyla and her opponent who was coming up behind her.

"I felt this girl right behind me pulling up and I said I don't want to get third I wanna get second." She said.

Kyla secured a silver medal with a run time of 59.61 in the 400m finals, an achievement her and her family are extremely proud of.

Someone who Kyla looks up to as inspiration for her passion for running is the one and only Australian olympic gold medalist Cathy Freeman, who she he met once before.

"(Cathy Freeman) said just believe in yourself and she told me don't wear high heels as they damage your heels" she said.

Winning silver at the Junior Athletics Championships is just another accomplishment Kyla can add to her athletics journey.

She came 7th at the Australian Cross Country Championships last year in Adelaide and she's on a Madalah foundation scholarship for athletics at St Mary.

Kyla has also been nominated for a NAIDOC award by Madalah foundation.