Thorvaldson Runs 11 Seconds Under Course Record In Dominant Win

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Sydney Thorvaldson ran away from the girls championship field in the 400 meters and kept pushing through 5,000 windy meters on Sunday at the XC Town USA Meet of Champions presented by The Garrett Companies. 

Thorvaldson, an Arkansas recruit, smashed the course record by 11 seconds in 16:38.3 in a performance that might hold up as the singular most impressive race of the pandemic-affected season. 

The standout senior from Rawlins High in Wyoming, covered the first mile in 5:09.3 and went through 2 miles in 10:26.0. She won by 40.9 seconds. 

"It feels really, really good," Thorvaldson said. "The whole race was a great experience. Getting to race outside of my state and outside of my region was a great experience for me."

Riley Stewart, a Colorado state champion, was second in 17:18.0 and led the Colorado Bruins (Cherry Creek) to the team title over in-state rival Valor XC & Distance (Valor Christian), 90 to 109. 

Ava Parekh of Chicago Speed (Latin School of Chicago) was third in 17:36 and Minnesota large school champion Analee Weaver (Stillwater Area) was fourth in 17:36.9. 

Those were the only runners within a minute of Thorvaldson, who torched the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course record set last year by Zofia Dudek at NXR Midwest. Dudek went on to win the 2019 Foot Locker Cross Country title. 

LIVE RESULTS