track and field

North Texas 8-year-old competing to be the fastest kid in the country

Dakota White from Red Oak is ready to be an Olympian one day.

“I just really like running,” Dakota said.

The eight-year-old is considered one of the fastest kids in the country.

When she was six, she earned gold medals in the 100 and 400-meter races of the AAU Gulf Primary/8U Championships. She has her sights set on the Junior Olympics now.

“My [favorite race] is the 100 [meters] because all you have to do is run down,” Dakota said.

Her father, Cameron, said he could tell at a very young age that his daughter had something special.

“I’m like watching the videos and I’m like, how does she run do pretty? Everybody says he form is like amazing and I’m just blessed. She is blessed. That’s a gift from God,” her Dad said.

He said to understand how fast she really is, is to get perspective.

“If you’re running the 100, you have high school kids that can usually do it in 11 seconds. Around 11 seconds. They are 17- and 18-year-olds. She is only eight and she is running it in 14 seconds,” Cameron said.

Dakota is headed for the district track meet in Arlington, hoping to then earn her spot at the regionals and then the Junior Olympics.

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