Members of the Western Brown High School girls cross country team got the chance to meet Bob Schul, the only American to win an Olympic gold medal in the 5,000 meter run, during the Bob Schul Cross Country Invitational held Aug. 26 at Milton-Union High School.

 

 

Western Brown runners meet Olympic gold medalist – 

By Wade Linville – 

Members of the Western Brown High School girls cross country team got the opportunity to meet an Olympic Gold Medalist while competing in the Bob Schul Invitational at Milton-Union High School on Aug. 26.
Schul is well-known as the only American to win an Olympic gold medal in the 5,000 meter run (1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo), a man who held the two-mile world record and has three national titles.
Not only were the current members of the WBHS girls cross country team pleased to get the opportunity to meet Schul for the first time ever meeting an Olympic gold medalist, but also enjoying his time with Schul was Western Brown’s long-time cross country coach Jim Neu.
Neu has been an admirer of Schul for his accomplishments as a competitive runner and was excited to finally get to meet the Olympic gold medalist in person.
The Bob Schul Invitational marked the first meet of the fall season for the Western Brown Lady Broncos, who would face some stiff competition in the Division I-II high school girls race.
Western Brown junior Sophia Leto was the first Lady Bronco to reach the finish line, placing 52nd overall on a field of more than 270 runners with a time of 22:11.6.
Western Brown junior Carson Jones posted a finish time of 22:35 to place 68th, and Western Brown senior Amanda Woodyard placed 93rd with a time of 23:30.1.
Western Brown’s Maddy Whisman placed 123rd with a time of 24:23.
In their high school cross country debuts, Western Brown freshmen Megan West, Allexa Temple, and Aliesha Smith all finished the Schul Invite in less than 27 minutes.
West posted a finish time of 26:00 to place 162nd. Temple finished 163rd with a time of 26:02, and Smith finished 183rd with a time of 26:42.
The Lady Broncos finish 15th of 19 teams in the Bob Schul Invite.