Rheinhardt Harrison, a third grader at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, won the sub-bantam boys 8&U division at the USATF National Junior Olympics Cross Country Championships held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Dec. 8.

Running for the Fairfax Police Youth Club against more than 140 national qualifiers, he covered the 2k course in a time of 7:30.37 setting a new course and event record. Since his 7:30 time (6:02 mile pace) was run at 5,300 foot elevation, a comparable 2k time at lower elevation would have been around 7:10 (5:46 mile pace).

Rheinhardt was among 12 National Champions (ages 8 – 18) crowned at the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships. More than 2,300 of the best youth athletes in the United States competed.

One week earlier, during the Cross Country Coaches National Youth Championships at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Indiana, Rheinhardt led the field of more than 100 in the sub-bantam boys race from start to finish, completing the 2k in 7:35.80.

Rheinhardt finished the 2012 track and cross-country seasons with five National Champion titles and six All-American honors, and set three National Event records.