Under-13 starlet Charlotte Caskie was also selected but had to miss out due to holiday commitments so it was left to Melissa to share the stage with the host of Olympic and World Champions taking part.

Both Burgh runners qualified to represent West District versus the East and the North after good finishes in the West District Championships last December, gaining automatic selection by finishing 10th and 12th in their respective races. Melissa lined up with another 37 under-15 girls for their race – four laps of the small, one kilometre loop round the Park. Understandably nervous on such a big occasion Meslissa ran a very solid race in the highly competitive field. Twelfth finisher for what was a victorious West team was exactly to form, Melissa clocking 17 minutes exactly to place 27th overall. Following in Melissa’s footsteps, American Garret Heath won the International 4K race, beating, amongst others, Ethiopia’s three times Olympic and 15 times world champion, Kenenisa Bekele, and Asbel Kiprop, former Olympic and twice world 1500 metres champion.

Having had a taste of the big-time and the atmosphere surrounding this event – the growing crowds attracted by the international races; the huge screen and TV gantries all round the course Melissa will aim to repeat the experience next year and will inspire her club mates to strive to join her.