Griffin Hennessy (2000m Steeplechase 6th place)
Nationals was a fun experience and I had lots of time to spend with my family and the friends we came with. It was bad timing with the heat wave that hit Jacksonville right as Nationals was going on, which made all of the races harder. My first 2 races didn't go great, so I saved my energy and was able to get All-American in my last event - 2000 Steeplechase. My goal for the Junior Olympics was to get All-American and I was able to achieve, so I felt happy that I met my goal.
Erikka Hill (Javelin Throw 1st place, Shot Put 1st place, Discus Throw 8th place )
For one thing, Jacksonville was a bonding experience for my family. We really didn’t know anyone so for four days it was only ourselves for company. I meet plenty of athletes from all over the USA. During delays, I found friends in my competitors. We would cheer each other on. There were quite a few bumps in the road throughout the trip, however I always managed to think of worst situations that could of happened. Although the day would be long, I found it to be extremely satisfactory at the end of the night.
Parker Mimbela (3000m 2nd place, 1500m 4th place)
This was my 2nd USATF Nationals. This time, I ran 2 races in a span of 14 hours, where last time, I had 2 days to rest. In both of those, 3000 m 2nd, 1500 m 4th, I was All-American, which was my goal. I think the hardest thing was the schedule and the rest time between the 2 races. Overall, I enjoyed my time in Jacksonville.