One of the quickest middle school students in the United States hails from Kansas City.
During the HOKA Festival of Miles in St. Louis this spring, Ella Messner was able to break her previous personal record by 17 seconds, running 1600 meters in 5:04.35. Her impressive performance has earned her the fifth spot in the fastest mile for middle school girls across the country.
During an interview, Messner stated that the experience was exactly what they had trained for. He further mentioned that they had been preparing for it for quite some time, which made him well-prepared for the situation.
Messner, a recent graduate of Académie Lafayette’s 8th grade program, is among the many students who have taken an interest in the school’s track program. Over the years, the program has seen a number of talented runners, including Henry Acorn from Rockhurst High School who completed the 1600 meters in an impressive in 4:06.31 this year.
Not only is Messner a speedy runner, but she also possesses an immense amount of determination. During her recent state cross country title defense, she encountered a setback when one of her shoes came off at the start of the race. Despite stopping several times, she made the brave decision to push through and ultimately succeeded in closing a 60-meter gap to secure a victory by a mere second.
According to Brenda Hayes-Kumm, Messner’s coach, she possesses an innate fighting spirit that cannot be taught. Hayes-Kumm described Messner’s incredible bravery as the most courageous thing she has ever witnessed. This was stated during an interview with KCUR’s Up To Date.
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- Ella Messner, incoming high school freshman and fifth-fastest middle school miler in the U.S.
- Brenda Hayes-Kumm, elementary and middle school track and cross country coach at Académie Lafayette