NXN Midwest 2009

LOCAL CLUBS COMPETE IN REGIONAL QUALIFIER FOR NIKE CROSS NATIONALS Midwest Regional Championship Held in Terre Haute, IN

WHAT: This weekend, high-school-aged cross country athletes from across the Midwest will come together in Terre Haute to toe the line in the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) Midwest regional qualifier for the chance to compete in the NXN national championship. NXN is the only club team and individual national championship in high school cross country, giving high-school-aged cross-country athletes the opportunity to vie for a national club and individual title.

The regional championships will be completed November 14-28, with the 2009 Nike Cross Nationals held on Saturday, December 5, at the Portland Meadows race track in Portland, Ore. Nine regions--Midwest, Northwest, Heartland, Southwest, South, Northeast, Southeast, California and New York--will each send the top two teams and top five individuals to the national meet.

New to the NXN events this year is a one-of-a-kind prediction contest. For each of the three weeks of regional competition, participants will be able to log their predictions for which teams will automatically qualify for the National meet in Portland, as well as the individual winner of the boys and girls championship race at each Regional. The contestant who most accurately predicts the automatic qualifiers and individual regional champions will win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to watch the National Meet in Portland on December 5th. For more details and official rules, please visit http://www.runnerspace.com/NXNcontest.

WHEN: November 15, 2009 12:00 p.m.: Girls Open 12:30 p.m.: Boys Open 1:15 p.m.: Girls Championships Race 2:00 p.m.: Boys Championship Race 2:45 p.m.: Awards

WHERE: LaVern Gibson Championship XC Course

Terre Haute, IN

WHO: Top local high school boys’ and girls’ cross-country club teams from across the Midwest (Athletes from Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Missouri)

Nike Athlete Amy Yoder Begley Amy Yoder Begley thrilled the Hayward Field crowd in finishing third at the Olympic Trials in 2008. Yoder Begley entered the Olympic Trials lacking the Olympic "A" qualifying standard of 31:45:00 - a time she needed to beat in order to ensure a place on the team. Knowing a ticket to Beijing was on the line, she took the lead with seven laps to go before falling to third behind Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher. Running alone and visibly digging for every available bit of energy, she needed to cover the final 800 meters in 2:20 to beat the 31:45 standard. It took minutes after she crossed the finish line for her time to be displayed on the scoreboard, but when it did, it was cause for celebration. 31 minutes, 43.60 seconds. Yoder Begley made it to Beijing with 1.40 seconds to spare. Building on her success in 2009 she won her first national championship and set a Hayward Field record for the 10,000m. She and 2008 Olympic 10,000m bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan traded the lead twice in the final lap, with Yoder Begley emerging as the victor in 31 minutes, 22.69 seconds, which is the #9 U.S. women's 10,000m time in history. Yoder Begley, who hails from Indiana, will be on hand at the NXN Midwest Regional Qualifier to offer her support of the athletes.

WHY: As the only club team and individual national championship in high school cross country, Nike Cross Nationals brings together the top high-school-aged, cross-country club teams and athletes in America to celebrate the sport, the spirit of teamwork, and the individual commitment and perseverance of young athletes. The NXN is part of the larger Nike Nationals championship series established in 2004 to help strengthen the national circuit for high school cross country and celebrate the sport. For more information, including results and photos from the NXN regional championships, visit www.nikecrossnationals.com.

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