(Photo courtesy West Seattle RoadRunners)
Runners from the West Seattle RoadRunners are back from the national championships, with major success, including the 9-10-year-old girls [photo above] repeating as national champions! Here’s a summary courtesy of head coach James Powell:
This past weekend, youth athletes from West Seattle RoadRunners, our local youth running team, competed in the 2024 USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships in Shelbyville, Indiana. 3,175 athletes from all over the country competed in 2-year age group races from 7-8 year olds to 17-18 year olds.
Athletes on this team have represented our community at the National Championships in each of their 8 years since they started in 2017. In that first season, four West Seattle athletes competed at Nationals. This year the team sent 59 runners, its largest and most successful contingency ever and the most athletes from any team in the Pacific Northwest.
The 9-10 year old girls team defended their 2023 National Championship team title taking 1st place again this year. Their top 5 runners finished an astonishing 45 seconds apart. They were led by Everly Haase (15th) and Lanna Caprara (22nd) who earned All-American honors for their top 25 finishes.
The 11-12 year old boys team, led by Gus Kemper (5th overall), became the first boys race team from West Seattle to stand on the National Championships podium, finishing in 3rd place.
The 11-12 girls team finished in 5th place with 3 athletes earning All-American honors: Teagan Kemper (8th), Beau Sitzmann (15th), and Savannah Brondstetter (17th). Amazingly these three girls are barely 11 years old and will be back in the same age group next season as they are joined by members of the 2-time National Champion 9-10 year old team who are aging up.
Kallan Knapp wrapped up the day for our team in style finishing in 9th place in the 17-18 girls race and earning the team’s 7th All-American honor at this year’s meet.
You can learn more about this youth running program by visiting their team website at www.westseattleroadrunners.org and following their team Instagram account @westseattleroadrunners
| 9 COMMENTS