Casey Clinger was on his way to an early morning track practice at American Fork High School in Utah when he was pulled over by a police officer, for “speeding.”
As it turned out, Clinger, who won a second consecutive title at Nike Cross Nationals in December, was given a giant trophy and the Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year award instead of a ticket.
Meanwhile, Brie Oakley was in statistics class at Grandview High School in Aurora, Colorado, when Molly Huddle, two-time Olympian, barged in with the award, saying that the senior had a “100 percent” probability of winning the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award. Oakley also won Nike Cross Nationals in 2016.
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The award is based not only on performance, but on academic records. Clinger maintains a 4.0 GPA and is headed to Brigham Young University in the fall. Oakley maintains a 4.60 GPA and will attend the University of California at Berkeley after graduation.
