Daniel's First National Meet

The Jamaican Flash is going over his Cross Country Strategy with his Pop Pop Coach

Daniel finished 11th out of 23 regional male athletes at the 2012 USATF Region 2 Junior Olympics Cross Country Championships. The meet was held on Sunday November 18, 2012 at Black Creek Park, North Chili, New York. One qualifier did not start. Daniel's time was 9 Minutes, 6 Seconds.  The Flash ran the 1.25 mile race in 7.248 Miles Per Hour.


http://www.usatf-niagara.org/images/Files/black_creek_park_map_2km.pdf
This is the Map of the 2K course that Daniel ran.
 




Daniel is at the mile marker in the race.

 
 Above is the result sheet.

The winning time in Daniel's race was 8 Minutes, 13 Seconds.

The result sheet shows
Daniel lost to;
6 Eight year olds
3 Seven year olds
1 Six year old.

He beat;
6 Eight year olds
3 Seven year olds
1 Six year old
1 Five year old

Daniel was the only unattached runner. Everyone else running against him was a member of a track or Cross Country Club.


 Daniel's wake up time was at 5:30 AM. He started preparing for his 9:00 AM 2K Race. The outside temperature at that time was 30 Degrees.

Daniel is talking over his Cross Country Strategy with his coach at the Radisson Rochester Airport Hotel before the race.

This is the start of the 2K Race in the park. The temperature was 40 Degrees at starting time. By the end of the race, Daniel was frost bitten to the point were he could not use his hands and his feet was frozen. It took an hour to get his body temperature back to normal.   



 

 Daniel received his Eleventh Place Metal as his conformation that he is going to Nationals. His Great Uncle William J. Williams III (Hypo), the retired Director of Health for the State of New York is showing off Daniel's metal.


Daniel's Great Uncle Hypo drove away impressed by Daniel's performance. He told Daniel, "I am proud of you! You are the first one in this family that has accomplished something like this! Only your mother came close to this accomplishment."  

The meet was hosted by USATF Niagara Association and the Genesee Valley Harriers.   This meet was held in conjunction with Championship Day of the Pete Glavin Upstate NY Cross Country Series and the USATF Niagara Association Open/Masters Men’s and Women’s XC Championships.

The Flash started running at age 3 and went into competition at age 4. Since then, Mr. Jamaica attended five USATF Regional Meets in the past 3 years. He qualified for Nationals for the first time out of 5 attempts.

• At age 5, Region 2 USATF In Door Championships in New Jersey, Feb. 2010, in Toms River, New Jersey, Daniel received 2^nd place in the 1500 Meter Run. He did not go to Nationals  because he did not meet the age requirements.
• At age 6, Region 2 USATF Out Door  Championships at Cal U., June 2010, Daniel received 8^th place in the 1500 Meter Run. He did not qualify to go to Nationals. Age requirements would have not made him illegible.
• At age 6, Region 2 USATF Junior Olympic Championships 2K Cross Country run on Nov. 20, 2011 at Dear Path Park, 120 West Woodschurch Rd. Flemington, New Jersey. Placed 20^th and qualified for Nationals but could not go to Nationals because of USATF age requirements. 
• At age 7, Region 2 USATF Junior Olympic Championships, 1500 Sub Bantam Run on July 8, 2012 at the University of Delaware Newark, DE. He did not qualify for the 1500 meters, did not go to Nationals.
•  At age 7, Region 2 USATF Junior Olympic Championships, 2K Cross Country run on Nov. 18, 2012 at Black Creek Park, North Chili, NY.  He is going to participate in USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country meet in Albuquerque, New Mexico on December 8, 2012.

Daniel's National Meet Fund will give him up to $400 to pay for his airline ticket round trip to New Mexico. 

http://www.usatf.org/About/Associations.aspx

This link shows the 59 Associations in the United States. They will participate in the National Cross Country Meet in Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Daniel will represent (No. 8) the Mid-Atlantic Association and Region 2.

December 8, 2012
Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque, NM

This December, close to 3,000 youth athletes will journey to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the 2012 USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships.  The International Balloon Fiesta Park is home to the annual International Balloon Fiesta-the world’s largest hot air balloon festival.  The scenic Sandia Mountains will also provide a beautiful backdrop for the Championships.
*
On December 14, 2013, USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championship will be in San Antonio, Texas. 
 
Competition takes place in six, two-year age divisions, ranging between the ages of 7 and 18. Check the USATF calendar for meet listings to find where your child can begin their journey to the National Championships next year and get the experience of a lifetime.