Taea, who was the event manager, started her athletics career with the Prince of Wales Primary School Athletics Championship about two decades ago.
It was this junior championship that inspired her to take up athletics – a career that shaped her life. Taea is a former regional gold medalist in the 200 metres event.
But yesterday it was not about her. It was about the next Patricia, the new generation of athletes she and others in the sport were hoping to unearth.
The Prince of Wales Athletics is a perfect platform for these future stars.
While the event presents competitors with a fun-filled setting to display their sporting prowess, it also provides those who mean business an opportunity for some fierce rivalry to test their mettle.
Without doubt, success at this stage with the right guidance, will help these youngsters achieve their dream of making it big in the world of athletics.