Fraser girls qualify for national cross country meet

Apple Valley, MN – At a Minnesota State qualifying meet on Saturday November 10th, Saragh, Emily and Elizabeth Fraser each qualified in their respective age categories for the USATF Junior Olympic National Cross Country Championship. The top 10 runners in the state are invited to represent Minnesota in the National Championship meet in Lawrence, Kansas on December 8th.

Saragh finished her regular racing season in 6th place overall in the state youth division, racing against athletes from grades 8 through 12 from across Minnesota. Emily completed her first year of competition in 8th place in the midget division and Elizabeth captured a bronze medal in bantams for her 3rd place performance. This is the first time on USATF record that three members of the same family have been advanced to the national standings in the same year.

With limited time left until the national meet, the Fraser sisters are training hard to be in top form for the difficult NCAA course in Kansas. Up to 3000 participants are expected for this year’s national championship and each of the 50 states will be sending their top 10 athletes in each age division.

The USATF Junior Olympic program is a training ground for the elite national program that has produced the likes of 2004 U.S. Olympian and track star Carrie Tollefson and International Marathon Champion Ryan Hall.