Emma Smith and Kylie Lowe competed against some of the top middle school cross country runners in the country Saturday at the Middle School Cross Country National Championship race in Louisville, Kentucky.
The two runners traveled to Louisville to represent Team Ohio, taking on a field of 277 competitors from across the nation in the 4K race.
Both got off to a strong start and maintained their pace throughout the race. Smith finished 69th overall with a time of 15:58, equivalent to a 12:51 two-mile pace.
Lowe followed with a 74th-place finish, crossing the line in 16:02 for a 12:54 two-mile pace. The two runners finished just four seconds apart.
Among the Team Ohio girls, Smith placed second while Lowe finished third. Ohio’s state team placed 12th overall among the states represented in the team standings.
The national competition marked the conclusion of the cross country season for both runners, giving them an opportunity to compete against a large field of middle school distance runners from across the country.
