Born in Copenhagen in Denmark, she later moved to Canada and represented her adoptive country internationally.[1] She made her first appearances for Canada in 1979, placing seventh in the 800 metres at the Pan American Games, then sixth in the 1500 metres at the 1979 IAAF World Cup.[2] Her first national title came in 1980, over 1500 m at the Canadian Track and Field Championships, and she would go on to win three further titles (800 m in 1981 and 1983, then a second 1500 m title in 1986). She set Canadian National records at 800 meters (2:00.02) and 1500 meters (4:03.36) in the 1983 season.[3] She also came first in the women's mile run at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in 1984, and broke the National outdoor mile record with a (4:24.61) in Nice, France in 1986.