Runner wins medals at national meet
SPARTA. In the 8U Division, Rafferty Hopkins brings home silver in the 800-meter race and bronze in the 400-meter.
Sparta /
| 04 Jul 2024 | 03:41
Rafferty Hopkins of Sparta competes in the USA Track & Field National Youth Outdoor Championships at Icahn Stadium in New York City. (Photos provided)
Rafferty Hopkins, right, places second in the 800-meter race.
Izaac Bagley, left, of Sparta places seventh in the boys 9-10 long jump.
Four runners who are part of the Sparta Recreation Track and Field program competed June 26-29 at the USA Track & Field (USATF) National Youth Outdoor Championships at Icahn Stadium in New York City.
In the 8U Division, Rafferty Hopkins became a two-time All-American, winning silver in the 800-meter race with a time of 2.46.41, breaking the Lakeland League Record, and winning bronze in the 400-meter.
The previous weekend, he was a three-time state champion in 400-meter, 800-meter and long jump at the USATF Junior State Championship.
His teammate and training partner Izaac Bagley also competed in the national meet, finishing ninth in the 800-meter, ninth in the 1,500-meter and becoming an All-American in the boys 9-10 long jump, finishing seventh.
Also competing strongly at the meet were Liam and Ryan Zapata. Liam finished 17th in the 400-meter, 21st in the 800-meter and 11th in the long jump. Ryan finished 17th in the 1,500-meter.