By Blair Baumgartner
InkFreeNews

LOUISVILLE — Bellefontaine Middle School, Bellefontaine, Ohio, eighth grader Grace Brown finished second in the Middle School Cross Country Nationals Saturday, Nov. 5, at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky.

Grace Brown, Bellefontaine Middle School, Bellefontaine, Ohio, finished second in the Middle School Cross Country Nationals Saturday, Nov. 5, in Louisville, Ky. Grace is the daughter of 1998 Wawasee High School graduates Brad and Kim (Troup) Brown. Photo provided by Jennifer Baumgartner.

Grace finished the 4K race in 14:15.1. Cheyenne Thomas of Tavares Middle School, Tavares, Fla., finished in first place with a time of 14:11.8.

Grace is the daughter of class of 1998 Wawasee High School graduates Brad and Kim (Troup) Brown.

Brad participated in football, basketball and track as a student athlete at Wawasee High School; Kim participated in volleyball and tennis. Brown is the granddaughter of Bill and Anne Troup, Milford.

“It’s the first time she’s lost all year. We’re very proud of her,” said Anne Troup. “She was neck and neck throughout the race with the girl who finished in first place and only lost by four seconds.

“She just started running a little over a year ago and found that she really has a gift for it. There were 198 girls participating in this race from all over the country. They called her the fastest girl in Ohio,” said Troup.

Troup also mentioned that Grace is a really good student.

“She may be participating in other nationwide events to gain some experience this season,” she said.