Youth athletes battle for Junior Olympic XC titles this Saturday

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INDIANAPOLIS - After advancing through association and regional championships, more than 2,600 young harriers will descend on Veterans Park with hopes of winning individual and team titles at the 2010 USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships, this Saturday, December 11 in Hoover, Ala.

The championships feature a full day of cross country action, with 10 races on the slate. Each age division will compete over the following distances: bantam (10 and under) racing 3 km; midget (11-12) racing 3 km; youth (13-14) racing 4 km; intermediate (15-16) racing 5 km; and young men/women (17-18) racing 5 km.

Hoover has played host to numerous youth, high school and collegiate cross country championships in recent years. The course at Veteran’s Park will test the mettle of all competitors with deceiving gradual inclines, winding wooded trails and a few steep climbs.

This year’s athletes will build upon the twenty-nine years of Junior Olympic history. Past standouts including Andrew Wheating, Amy Begley and Deena Kastor have gone on not only to emerge as successful distance runners, but also to represent the United States on the Olympic stage.

The action starts this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. CST. If you cannot be on hand to watch the competition, you can tune in via live webcast. For webcast details, visit: http://www.usatf.org/events/2010/USATFJuniorOlympicXCChampionships/webcast.asp

Who to watch

Six young athletes who stood atop the podium at last year’s National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships in Reno are returning to defend their crowns. Lauren Gregory (Region 10) and Em Smith (Rapides TC) won the Bantam Girls and Boys titles last year, both of whom are racing in the Midget category this year. Christine Bayliss (Oak Hill Racing) and Samuel Blake (Los Gatos) are the reigning champions in the Midget division, but they will have to defend their titles over another kilometer this year in the Youth category 4 km race. The Young Men’s race should be an exciting one, as Ammar Mousaa (Obriens Army), the 2009 Intermediate Boys champion, will face Raymond McCormack (Lanier Running), the defending champion in the Young Men’s division.

Regional Winners:

Bantam Boys

Individuals: Matthew Remigino (Region 1), Coleman Mitchell (Region 3), Garrett Gemmaka (Region 5), Michael Lee (Region 6), Evan Veatch (Region 7), Lucas Jepsen (Region 10), Elijah Alexander-Macias (Region 12), Jason Gomez (Region 14), Ethan Strand (Region 16)

Teams: Sports Track Field (Region 7), Cougar TC (Region 10), Oak Hill Racing (Region 14)

Bantam Girls

Individuals: Chloe Taylor (Region 1), Katherine Kuisel (Region 3), Ashley Rulison (Region 5), Emily Anderson (Region 6), Natalie Graber (Region 7), Lauren Turner (Region 10), Katherine Roquebert (Region 12), Sarah Savage (Region 14), Sarah Peterson (Region 16)

Teams: Waltham TC (Region 1), Sports Track Field (Region 7), Team Bliss (Region 10), Oak Hill Racing (Region 14)

Midget Boys

Individuals: Connor Gralton (Region 1), Jallah Galimah (Region 3), Thomas Seibert (Region 5), Em Smith (Region 6), Ben Veatch (Region 7), Isaiah Delacerda (Region 10), Chase Gregory (Region 12), Gage Marquez (Region 14), Daniel Hurren (Region 16)

Teams: Waltham TC (Region 1), Indiana All Star Runners (Region 7), Albuquerque TC (Region 10), Pleasanton Heat (Region 14)

Midget Girls

Individuals: Danae Rivers (Region 1), Logan Morris (Region 3), Rachel Iacofano (Region 5), Kailey Schuyler (Region 6), Samantha Miller (Region 7), Lauren Gregory (Region 10), Madison Boreman (Region 12), Brooke Starn (Region 14), Marygrace Strozier (Region 16)

Teams: Bullet Hill Striders (Region 1), Indiana All Star Runners (Region 7), Cougar TC (Region 10), Pleasanton Heat (Region 14)

Youth Boys

Individuals: Alexander Ostberg (Region 1), Michael Wegner (Region 3), Michael Beebe (Region 5), Joseph MacGown (Region 6), David Dalton (Region 7), Julian Cly (Region 10), Logan Hendrix (Region 12), Blair Hurlock (Region 14), Stephen Payne (Region 16)

Teams: South Windsor Sport (Region 1), Indiana All Star Runners (Region 7), TCM Rez Runners (Region 10), Los Gatos (Region 14)

Youth Girls

Individuals: Madeline Berkson (Region 1), Eliza Dekker (Region 3), Megan Oneil (Region 5), Danielle Myers (Region 6), Rachel Nichwitz (Region 7), Aubrey Till (Region 10), Gairy Natividad (Region 12), Christine Bayliss (Region 14), Haley Davidson (Region 16)

Teams: Waltham TC (Region 1), Indiana All Star Runners (Runner 7), GTD Go the Distance (Region 10), Buffalo Chips Running (Region 14)

Intermediate Boys

Individuals: Calvin Swomley (Region 1), Luis Gonzalez (Region 3), Jesse Moreno (Region 5), Eddy Soto (Region 6), Charles Sorrells (Region 7), Augustus Cuch (Region 10), Cameron Jackson (Region 12), Parker Dueul (Region 14), Cordaryl Whitehead (Region 16)

Teams: Litchfield TC-A (Region 1), Hoosier Harriers (Region 7), Planned Pethood Posse (Region 10), Asics Aggie Running (Region 14)

Intermediate Girls

Individuals: Courtney Hawkins (Region 1), Hannah Oneda (Region 3), Alexandra Brown (Region 5), Hannah Denton (Region 6), Nicole Thinnes (Region 7), Caroline Kaufman (Region 10), Sojourners Running Club (Region 10), Greta Smith (Region 12), Katie Alioto (Region 14), Victoria Taylor (Region 16)

Teams: Gate City Striders (Region 1), Indiana All Star Runners (Region 7), Buffalo Chips Running (Region 14)

Young Men:

Individuals: Alexander Gallo (Region 1), Robert Barger (Region 3), Nicholas Butcher (Region 5), William Kazery (Region 6), John Stkas (Region 7), Troy Madalena (Region 10), Ryan McCann (Region 12), Pierce McKenzie (Region 14), Cameron Berry (Region 16)

Teams: Sentinel Striders (Region 10), Asics Aggie Running (Region 14)

Young Women:

Individuals: Erica Notini (Region 1), Anna Spiers (Region 3), Amanda Harris (Region 5), Erica Ernst (Region 7), Susannah Hurst (Region 10), Kelli Hardenbrook (Region 12), Sara Howard (Region 14), Lori-Anna Lovelace (Region 16)

Teams: Sentinel Striders-A (Region 1), Sojourners Running Club (Region 10), Asics Aggie Running (Region 14)

For more information on the 2010 USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships visit www.usatf.org.

About USA Track & Field

USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track & field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, the World's #1 Track & Field Team, the most-watched events at the Olympics, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport, and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States: www.usatf.org.