I te tau 1997, i whakataetae ia i te Whakataetae o te Ao i roto i te 4 x 400 mita relay hei waahanga o te kapa o Ingarangi i mutu i te tuarua engari i whakahoutia ki te koura hei hua o te whakakore i te kapa US. I eke ia ki te whakataetae, engari i whiwhi mētara tonu ia. I wikitoria hoki ia i te Whakataetae Pākehā U23 tuatahi
Ko te taitara 400 mita. I tēnei tau i riro i a ia tana taitara AAA tuatoru me te whakamutunga i roto i te whare 400 mita.