Middle School Madness: Watch Gibbons 4:46.93, Bell 4:26.05 For 1500m Against College Field

Eighth graders Bryce Bell (South Seminole Middle School) and Rafaella Gibbons (Glenridge Middle School) are no strangers to running against college competition.

At the end of February Gibbons ran at the Embry Riddle Last Chance Meet where she clocked a 3000m personal best of 10:14.24 to beat the field. Her time according to the flrunners.com database is the fastest ever for a middle school girl in the state, and fourth fastest ever for a middle school girl nationally! At the Embry Riddle Spikes Classic, the youngster was second in the 34 runner field with a personal best 4:46.93 for 1500 meters. Her time is the second fastest ever in Florida by a middle schooler only behind Daesha Rogers who went 4:43.65 to win the flrunners.com Middle School State Championship in 2011. According to our database it is 10th the fastest time ever in the nation and equates to 5:08.02 for 1600 meters or 5:09.8 for one mile. What a bright future ahead. Check out the race video!

RACE VIDEO: Rafaella GIbbons - 4:46.93 (1500m)

 

Equally  impressive was Bryce Bell of South Seminole Middle School. Bell, who also competed in the Embry Riddle Last Chance Meet in February, headed back to the school for another chance to run with the college athletes. A 10th place showing at last year's flrunners. Middle School State Championship, the youngster ran the 1500m University Run at the Embry Riddle Spikes Classic. He  finished 29th out of 41 runners in a new personal best of 4:26.05 which equates to 4:45.6 for 1600 meters. It ranks US#1 among all middle school boys and 28th all-time nationally. Watch Bryce compete with the big boys and put up a very impressive time.!

RACE VIDEO: Bryce Bell - 4:26.05 (1500m)



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