Riana’s taking off

TEN year old Riana Drake of Barrack Point just doesn't seem to want to sit still.

She's been the defending champion for four years in a row in Sydney Water, represented NSW in PSSA U10s school athletics, competes in the U11s in Little Athletics, does cross country, won gold in NSW Country Surf Lifesaving for the board event for her club, Warilla/Barrack Point SLSC " and now, she's taking up soccer.

Riana holds a string of awards in athletics including winning gold in the 2006 State 4x100 relay.

She was a finalist in the 70m and 200m Little Athletics championships and a finalist in the 100m and 200m State School Athletics and District Junior in School Athletics Champion.

Riana's coach Rick Watkins says she is consistently smashing her own PBs and has just broken Paige Fenech's State Athletics 200m record of 30.37 with a time of 30.31.

This weekend at the State Little Athletics Championships at Homebush, Riana bagged silver in the under 11s 400m and bronze in the 200m. She was beaten by the 2006 National Schoolgirls champion in both events.

Riana trains for 1-2 hours a day, virtually every day of the week&and when she's not training she's down at the surf club, running, playing soccer or swimming.

Riana's goal is to compete in the 2012 Olympics.

"My dream is to get into the Olympic team, but I've got to make the Nationals first," she said.

"I just missed the Nationals in 2006, by 100th of second, so it shows how tough the competition is."

Riana's parents, Andrew and Rochelle give her all their support.

"She loves doing it and she's doing really well at school too, so why wouldn't we give her all the encouragement and support we can," Rochelle said.

Riana Drake is a name we are likely to hear more about in the years ahead.