Printer Friendly Version - Country School Cross Country Runners Dominate at Regional Junior Olympics

Country School 3rd-graders Sam Duffy and Miklosh Frusztajer took second place and 11th place, respectively, in the 8-U two-kilometer race at the Regional Junior Olympics Cross Country Championships in Saratoga Springs, New York.Photo and information courtesy of Teresa Sullivan

Several local athletes who either attend or are alums of the Country School of Madison recently competed and fared well at the Regional Junior Olympics Cross Country Championships in Saratoga Springs, New York,

Robbie Cozean, a Country School alum who’s currently a freshman at Xavier High School, annihilated the competition at the meet by winning by the largest margin of the day, while earning his third-consecutive trip to the National Junior Olympics Cross Country Championships in Alabama this month. With snow falling on a beautiful day at Saratoga Spa State Park, Cozean covered the four-kilometer course in 13 minutes and 15 seconds at a pace of 5:20 a mile. In this race of 13- and 14-year-olds, Cozean was followed by Country School 7th-grader Ryan Wei, who laced on his longest spikes to finish the snowy course in an excellent time of 15:29, placing 11th overall in Connecticut. Country School 3rd-grader Emma Kowalski finished second in Connecticut earlier in the morning by running the 2K course in 10:48.

In the next race of the day, the 8-U two-kilometer race, Sam Duffy ran a time of 8:00 to finish second in the race and second overall in Connecticut. He was followed by Miklosh Frusztajer, who finished third in Connecticut and 11th overall. By finishing in the top 30, both athletes qualified to represent New England with Cozean in the National Championships. Newcomer Connor Duffy was the first six-year-old to finish in New England and New York state, completing the 2K course in 9:23.

Additionally, Country School 5th-graders Lila Smith and Tessa Burch finished third and fourth in Connecticut by running their three-kilometer course in 14:40 and 14:55, respectively. They were followed by Cate Callahan and Natalie Yue, who ran 18:14 and 18:18, respectively. Country School 3rd-grader Christopher Yue ran 14:21 on the same 3K course. For his efforts, Yue finished third in New England and New York state.

Kayla Uzwiak, a 7th-grader, finished 31st by blitzing the course in a time of 12:19 and finishing second in all of New England and New York. She missed invitation to the National Championship by only one spot. Olivia Ziegenhagen finished third in New England and New York in a time of 13:05 on an increasingly muddy course.

Country School captain Annabelle Smith earned her second invitation to the National Junior Olympics Championships by racing aggressively through the final 400 meters to finish second overall in Connecticut in a time of 16:25 for 27th place overall. Fellow captain Julia Dattilo ran with confidence to finish ninth in Connecticut in a time of 19:25.

In a gritty performance, Country School alum and former captain Graham Keating, who now attends Choate Rosemary Hall, finished fourth in Connecticut in the 15-16 age group to earn an invitation to the National Championships. Keating ran the challenging five-kilometer course in a personal-best time of 18:19, holding off aggressive challengers during the final frantic 400-meter sprint to the tape.

In the past four years, more than 60 Country School runners have competed in the State Junior Olympics.