Florida 8-year-old wins cheer competition after team no-shows, performs solo
'Jesus tells me to be brave, so I just went out there and was brave,' Peyton Thorsby said
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An 8-year-old Florida girl performed at a cheer competition alone when her team did not show up and won first place.
"I was scared about everything, and I was very nervous," Peyton Thorsby said.
Peyton performed the routine alone in front of a crowd of a few hundred people at the Showcase of Championships cheer competition at the Florida State Fairgrounds.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Nobody had come for whatever reasons they had had, and it ended up just being her that had shown up so her coach, Nikki, said, ‘look like we might have to forfeit,’" mom Nichole Thorsby told FOX 13.
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Peyton Thorsby appears to be in shock after winning the first-place trophy for her solo cheer competition performance. (Nichole Thorsby)
Despite her team being absent, Peyton did not want to let them down.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I didn't really want my team to be disappointed of me for not going out there and not showing up for them, and so I made my decision. I wanted to go out there, and I wanted to make my family proud and all my friends proud for myself," Peyton said.
She ended up with the first-place trophy, beating out two other teams.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Photo collage of Peyton Thorsby at the cheer competition. (Nichole Thorsby)
"Me and her coaches were just crying our eyes out. I just couldn't believe it, but just to see her out there on her own. She's amazing," her mom said.
Peyton hopes her performance inspires other kids to not be afraid.
"Jesus tells me to be brave, so I just went out there and was brave and got the trophy," Peyton said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Peyton Thorsby smiles after winning cheer competition in Florida. (Nichole Thorsby)
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Peyton's solo performance made headlines not long after Katrina Kohel, a 17-year-old senior at Morrill High School, also performed her cheer routine alone at the Nebraska State Cheer and Dance Competition.
Fox News' Gretchen Eichenberg contributed to this report.