6. Doubt Them No More: Surprise Top-5 Finishers Were Hungry To Close In Final Moments
Exeter (NH) High's Jacqueline Gaughan was aware of how people may have expected her to finish on Saturday at Foot Locker. The same goes for Knoxville Catholic School (TN) junior Jake Renfree.
Neither runner was picked to finish with an All-American placing in either race.
But that fact also drove both runners to the finish line, with Gaughan and Renfree both finishing fifth.
Gaughan said she used doubt as fuel to hold strong for a final loop at Balboa Park.
"I think a lot of people were doubting me after I had a bad race," Gaughan said. "That made me mad. I wanted to come out here and prove everyone wrong. I'm really grateful for people who never doubted me for a second."
Renfree was ranked 50th in his Foot Locker South regional race, but ended up qualifying anyway. He simply didn't want to close his season any other way but with his best effort.
"The first lap was just just, 'Don't fall down,'" Renfree said. "I felt like I was in a good spot and then I turned around and I was in last place."
"Last race of the year, I didn't want to finish with any regrets," he said.
- Cory Mull