Sisson Eyes USA Junior Cross Country Title
By Chris Lotsbom
(c) 2010 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
Entering tomorrow's USA Cross Country Championships in Spokane, Wash.,
Chesterfield, Missouri's Emily Sisson is ready to continue upon what
has already been a successful senior year of high school. The 18
year-old is looking to finish in the top six in the junior women's
race, which would earn her a trip to Bydgoszcz, Poland, where the IAAF
World Cross Country Championships will be held on March 28.
"I feel very excited heading into Saturday's meet," Sisson wrote in an
e-mail message to Race Results Weekly from Spokane. "I know there are
a ton of very talented girls here, though, so I am definitely a bit
nervous as well."
In her senior season at Parkway Central High School, Sisson qualified
for the Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships for the fourth
year in a row, where she finished the 5000m course in third place, with
a time of 17:19. That was her best finish at Foot Locker since her
freshman year, where she also came in third.
"I was very happy with Foot Lockers," she continued. "Coming back
after two somewhat disappointing years, I really just wanted to finish
strong. I was also just extremely happy and thankful for being able to
experience the event for the fourth time. I am definitely going to miss
it next year."
More recently, Sisson has shown that she is still in top shape, as she
raced the 3000m at the Jayhawk Classic in Lawrence, Ks., in a new
personal best of 9:25.7 just two weeks ago (her time also broke the
Anschutz Pavilion facility record). This record only adds to her
already noteworthy high school career, one in which she has competed
internationally for the U.S. at the Junior Pan-American Games (2007),
and has won the Nike Outdoor Nationals 5000m (2009).
Earlier this month, Sisson committed to attend the University of
Wisconsin, where she will continue to run and plans to study business.
Originally from Wisconsin, Sisson said she knew she would attend the
University there as soon as she visited the school.
"I just knew on my visit that Wisconsin was the place for me, because I
loved the girls, it has a great business school, and the campus is
amazing! Coach (Jim) Stintzi is also very knowledgeable and I look
forward to improving as a runner under him."
But, right now her focus is on the Cross Country National
Championships. She has already seen the Plantes Ferry Recreation Park
course, where the meet will take place. The junior 6 km race will be
contested on one 2000m loop, which competitors will run three times.
"It is not hilly and the footing is pretty good," Sisson concluded.
* * * * * *
Tomorrow's USA Cross Country National Championship races will be
webcast LIVE via Flotrack.org. Race coverage will begin with the
masters women's 8 km at 12:45 p.m. EST (9:45 a.m. PST). Sisson's junior
women's race will begin at 3:45 p.m. EST (12:45 a.m. PST). The final
race of the day, the men's open 12 km, will set off at 5:00 p.m. EST
(2:00 p.m. PST). The live
feed will be at this link:
http://www.flotrack.org/
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