Richmond sets new school record and wins 5,000 meters at CT Distance Festival

MIDDLETOWN, April 18 – Avon High junior Rhiannon Richmond shattered the school record in the 5,000 meters and won at the second annual Connecticut Distance Festival Thursday by more than 30 seconds.

Richmond won the 3.1 mile race at Xavier High School with a school-record time of 17:55.61. New Fairfield’s Kayla Cohen was second in 18:29.06 with Hale-Ray’s Emily Sienna taking third in 18:35.96.

Richmond broke the previous school record (18:21.25) set by Molly Hamel in 2015 and qualified for the New Balance national qualifying meet later this spring.

The Connecticut Distance Festival consisted of just two events – the 5,000 meter race and a one-mile race. Athletes from across Connecticut and New York State participated in the event.

Avon freshman Jack Martin ran in the 1-mile race and finished 14^th overall out of 129 runners with a time of 4:35.65 – good enough to set a new freshman school record in the event.

Avon’s Michael Umansky ran in the 5,000 meters and finished with a time of 19:19.19.