Pineville's E.M. Smith Wins National Junior Olympics Event

Ten year old E.M. Smith finished first in the national Junior Olympic Cross Country Championship ten-and-under division in Reno, Nevada on Saturday, December 12. Representing the Rapides Junior Runners, Smith finished two seconds in front of his closest competitor. Smith's running partner Omar Shbeeb, also a member of the Rapides Junior Runners, finished twentieth among a total of 210 competitors. The top 25 finishers are designated "All-Americans" by USA Track and Field.

 Saturday was a cold day in Reno, and Smith was running on snow for the first time in his career. Rapides Junior Runners representative Gary Perkins said, "E.M.'s performance was amazing in any weather conditions, and particularly impressive since all of his training is in Louisiana. He had never had to compete in conditions like this."