Sarah Mitchell after capturing the NCHSAA 4A Cross Country title.
Apex senior and George Washington University signee Sarah Mitchell was named the North Carolina Gatorade Cross Country "Player of the Year"
Mitchell is coming off a cross country season where she captured the NCHSAA 4A state championship clocking a personal best of 17:26 on a tough Ivey Redmon course. She took 3rd in her opening meet of the season, Friday Night Lights, which took place in early September on the same course she won the state meet on just two months later.
From that point she was flawless, taking home first place in every race she competed in, including Wendy's Invitational and the NCHSAA 4A Mideast Regional.
Mitchell started her high school cross country career as an 8th grader at Grace Christian School, where she was immediately one of the best runners in the NCISAA.
She was 5th in the 1,600m at the 2018 NCISAA 1A/2A State Championship, where she clocked 5:25.02!
Her freshman year in cross country she finished runner-up at the NCISAA 3A State Championship. On the track she took home the victory at the NCRunners Frosh/Soph Invitational and was runner-up at the NCISAA Division II State Championship in the 1,600m. Her 5:08.02 personal best is currently NC Freshman No. 16 all-time.
Mitchell made the move to Apex her junior season and has not looked back since. Now a state champion, she looks to make the same impact on the track!
Sarah Mitchell (left) on the podium with her fellow members of the 2021 NCHSAA 4A All-State Team.
She ran 4:52.36 to take 3rd at the 2021 NCHSAA 4A Outdoor State Championship, which sits NC No. 15 all-time! Her 10:37 3,200m outdoor personal best is NC No. 21 all-time, as well.
With the NCHSAA Indoor State Championship under a month away she currently sits NC No. 6 this season in the 3,200m, and has also qualified for the state meet in the 1,000m.
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