Yorek, McAllister, Seitz earn All-American honors at National Junior Olympics in Texas

Results 

On Saturday (10-Dec), 45 athletes representing seven (7) clubs from USATF Indiana competed at the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships in College Station, Texas.  The event was held on the Texas A&M University Dale Watts Croups Country Course. A total of 2828 athletes and 226 teams from across the country competed in the championships.

Races were contested in 6 age divisions (8 & under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18) for boys and girls.  The top 25 finishers in each age division earned all-American status and the top 3 teams were presented with championship recognition. 

The storylines of the day for the Indiana athletes were the all-American honors earned by Aliyah Yorek (Body in Training), Elizabeth McAllister (Southern Indiana Running Club), and Calvin Seitz (#teamorange Distance Running Club).  

Aliyah Yorek finished fourth in the 9-10 girls; the highest finish for an Indiana athlete on the day. She covered the 3 km course in 11:22; finishing just four seconds behind the event winner Isla Rahmer of New Mexico. Yorek was the Indiana and Region 7 champion and also won Noblesville and Carmel Grand Prix Classics. She finished fourth in the Hoosier Cross Country Grand Prix.

In the 7-8 Girls division Elizabeth McAllister ran 7:48 over the 2 km course to finish eighth and earn her second all-American honor following her 23rd place finish last year in Kentucky.  McAllister was the Indiana champion and was undefeated in the the Hoosier Cross Country Grand Pix.

In the largest race of the day (416 runners) Calvin Seitz finished 21st in the 13-14 Boys division stopping the clock at 13:39.  Seitz was the Indiana and Region 7 champion and was undefeated in the Grand Prix. 

The complete Indiana results scoreboard can be found here.

Next year's championship will be held in Lousiville, Kentucky on December 9.