Florida Fast applies to our state's young distance talent as well including Cambridge Christian seventh-grader Eliana Black and Leon ninth-grader Patrick Koon as they won not only the best times among their peers across the state, but nationally as well.
Black is coming off a 5:06 mile performance in a fourth-place finish against some of Florida's top high school distance runners at the Dunbar Tigers Classic, while Koon dipped just under 9:20 in a deep boys 3200-meter field at Satellite two Friday nights ago.. Black already owns the fastest 3200-meter time in state history by a 7th grader at 10:57, while Koon is less than two seconds off the 9:17 freshmen class state record by Charles Hicks.
Both are past FLYRA Middle School State Champions and this past fall each were in contention for FHSAA state cross country titles with top-five state meet finishes as Black was the 1A state runner-up, while Koon finished 5th in the 3A state race.
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Black has plenty of great role models and training partners right with her in the present at Cambridge Christian in junior Mary Ellen Eudaly (4:47 1600/10:17 3200) and Caroline Lehman (4:54 1600/10:20 2 mile) among Florida's top high school runners, while Koon has quickly become his team's top runners as freshmen but leaned on interacting and sometimes running with past high school stars like former Leon High School great and current Oklahoma State runner Sukhi Khosla.
What is most impressive about both of them in our in-depth interview is how well-spoken and mature that they are for their age and grades. Can tell both are well adjusted to handle success young and still grow and develop from that quick early ascension as distance runners.
Both will be a great follow of their progression and development as already budding distance stars of the sport for years to come.
Freshmen Rankings: Boys - Girls