E-1 Track Club Medal at AAU Cross Country National Championship

On Saturday, Dec. 7, seven E-1 athletes were among the 1088 AAU athletes to gather at Fort Gordon in Evans, GA., to compete in the 2013 AAU Cross Country National Championship.

Participating athletes participated in one of the nine different age groups participating in the tournament, ranging from the 6U exhibition division all the way up to the 17-18 division.

From E-1, Joshua Sleight participated in the 7-8 year old group, Amir Dayal, Cannon Hicks and Gregory Aalgaard competed with the 9-10 boys, Samantha LiPuma with the 11-12 girls, Zack Truitt with the 11-12 boys, and Gunner Hicks in the 13-14 boys group.
 
The event kicked off with the National Anthem at 8:50 a.m. and then the races began at 9 a.m. and continued every half hour with the last event. At the conclusion of each race, the top 25 athletes were awarded individual achievement medals. Additionally, thirty minutes after each race, an awards ceremony was held for the top 8 place individuals of each race. 

Although athletes ran in races in dual age groups, awards were made to athletes, ages 9-14, in single age groups. The 7-8 age group were awarded based on the double-age group competition. Among the achievement medalists for E-1 were Amir Dayal, Joshua Sleight, Cannon Hicks, and Zack Truitt.

Amir Dayal (ASES) was honored for his 6th place finish in the 10-year old race in the Special Top 8 Awards Ceremony. He finished sixth in the 9 year old race and overall sixth in the 9-10 age group of 136 runners. Joshua Sleight (DSES) came in 15th  in the 7-8 year old athletes. Cannon Hicks (ASES) placed 23rd in the 9 year old race. And Zack Truitt (SDES) finished 18th out of the 11 year old athletes. All other participants received participation medals for their races; after all, not everyone advances to and participates in a National Championship. 

Although the 2013 AAU youth XC season ended on December 7, Samantha LiPuma (CHMS) gears up to participate in the final youth cross country championship of the season season by participating in the USATF National Cross Country Junior Olympics to be held this month in San Antonio, TX.