World 1 Ranked 14-Year-Old Lace Patuki Set For International Debut After Dominating North Island Champs

At just 14 years old, Lace Patuki is not only one of New Zealand’s most exciting young athletes—she’s now taking her talent onto the international stage.

Fresh off a dominant performance at the North Island Secondary Schools Athletics Championships, Lace claimed four gold medals, winning the junior girls 100 metres, 80 metre hurdles, and triple jump, before anchoring her 4x100 metre relay team to victory.

And now, she is preparing for her international debut, having been selected to represent Niue at the Oceania Athletics Championships in Darwin this May.

It’s the latest milestone in what has been a remarkable season.

Lace is currently ranked number one in New Zealand for 14 Girls in both the 100 metres and triple jump, and sits number one in the world for 14 Girls in the 80 metre hurdles, according to Athletic.net rankings.

Her recent personal bests—12.52 seconds in the 100 metres, 12.43 in the 80 metre hurdles, and 10.70 metres in the triple jump—highlight a rare level of versatility across sprinting, hurdles, and jumps.

Earlier in the season, she also claimed gold in the hurdles at both the North and South Island Colgate Games, further cementing her status as one of the country’s top young prospects.

In the past 18 months, Lace has broken more than half a dozen club and regional records, underlining just how quickly she is rising through the ranks.

But for Lace, athletics is about more than medals and rankings.

Driven by a strong sense of identity and purpose, she has set her sights on a historic goal: to become the first Niuean athlete to compete at the Olympic Games.

Those around her say it’s not just her results that stand out—but her personality.

“She’s got this really outgoing, quirky energy that people are drawn to. She brings joy to the environment, but when it’s time to compete, she switches on.”

Lace is supported by an exceptional coaching team, including New Zealand Paralympian Mitch Joynt, long-time hurdle coach and close mentor Alex Wansink, and Russian-born coach Elena Brown, a former international athlete and Athletics New Zealand Coach of the Year who has coached at multiple Olympic Games, World Championships, and Commonwealth Games.

The strong relationship between Lace and Wansink has played a key role in her development, particularly in the hurdles, where her rhythm, stride pattern, and confidence continue to improve.

Despite her rapid rise, Lace remains grounded in her community. She regularly gives back her time by helping coach younger athletes at her local club, becoming a role model for the next generation.

Balancing school, training, and competition, she represents a new generation of athletes—talented, driven, and proud of who they are.

And while her achievements to date are impressive, those closest to her believe this is only the beginning.

Because for Lace Patuki, the goal isn’t just success—it’s history.

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