12/11/2013
INDIANAPOLIS – USA Track & Field named Alexa Efriamson Athlete of the Week today after she won the Nike Cross National cross country meet Dec. 7 in Portland Meadows, Ore.
Efraimson (Camas, Wash.), a junior at Camas High School, had an up and down race on her way to a spectacular finish in the multiple loop race course with man-made obstacles on the inside of the horse race track. With nearly 400 meters remaining, Efraimson found herself in third place.
“As the race continued,” she said, “ I started to drop off and then I would catch up on the whoop-de-dos and hay bails before falling off again.
“Going into the last 400, I was behind, but my strength is my kick. I knew that if I had a chance to win, I had to start my kick then.”
The 16-year-old Efraimson kicked her way to a 16:50.1 finish, defeating Sarah Baxter (Simi Valley, Calif.), the two-time champion.
“Going into it, I knew it was going to be between me, Sarah Baxter and Elise Canny,” she said. “ I was almost in shock after I finished the race. I was so surprised that it actually happened.”
Efraimson began her budding running career in middle school, but started focusing specifically on the sport in high school. She won the 2013 Bill Dellinger Invitational in 16:35, defeating a field composed of college runners.
“It’s very humbling, and I’m just very honored to be named USATF Athlete of the Week,” she said. “I just want to continue developing as a runner mentally and physically and be able to continue racing to the best of my ability.”
As far as competing at the next level, Efraimson is taking it all in stride. “Right now, I have narrowed it to where I want to go. In college I want to continue developing and one day run post-collegiate.”
2013 Winners: January 9, Bobby Mack; January 16, Mary Cain; January 22, Ajeé Wilson; January 30, Duane Solomon; February 6, Chris Derrick; February 13, Jeremy Taiwo; February 20, Alysia Montaño; February 27, Galen Rupp; March 6, Jenn Suhr; March 13, Tia Brooks; March 20, Bridget Franek; March 27, Ben True; April 3, Darvis “Doc” Patton; April 10, Octavious Freeman; April 24, Erik Kynard; May 1, Queen Harrison; May 8, Tyson Gay; May 15, Jon Olsen; May 22, Mary Cain; May 29, Michael Tinsley; June 5, Mary Cain; June 12, Brianna Rollins; June 26, Brianna Rollins; July 3, Thomas Burns; July 10, Ryan Whiting; July 17, William Bell. Sr.; July 24, Jenny Simpson; July 31, Tia Jones; August 14, Brittney Reese; August 21, LaShawn Merritt; August 28, Megan Glasmann; September 4, Matt Tegenkamp; September 11, Mandy Ortiz; September 18, David Oliver; September 25, Molly Huddle; October 3, Desi Davila; October 10, Kathryn Martin; October 17, Michael Mannozzi; October 24, Matt Flaherty; October 30, Kelly Calway; November 7, Tatyana McFadden; November 18, Molly Huddle; November 25, Abbey D’Agostino; December 11, Alexa Efraimson.
About USA Track & Field
USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the country’s #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States. For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org.
Christa Mann
Marketing & Communications Manager
USA Track & Field
317.713.4672
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