Update 4/16/23):

• BAA Invitational results from the races on 4/15/23
• Natick had even more representation from its students during marathon weekend than we first realized. More than a dozen Kennedy and Wilson Middle School students represented Natick for the B.A.A. Relay Challenge in Copley Square, according to Rachel Saks Aronis, who along with Natick Recreation & Parks Director Travis Farley brought back this program that was canceled in recent years due to COVID. Teams of 10 racers competed against each other on an out-and-back course of about 350 meters right on Boylston Street by the Marathon finish line. There were 6 relays total (2 determined by age and all were mixed gender). Natick took home 5^th place – and a great looking trophy – for the All-Star Mile relay in competition with runners from schools in Boston and the metro-Boston area. This free BAA-sponsored program started in the late 1990s. Natick Recreation & Parks has some fun photos from the event on its Facebook page.

One of the great elements of the Boston Marathon weekend is the BAA Invitational race series that takes place on Saturday, April 15, in Copley Square.

The Invitational Mile features scholastic boys and girls from the cities and towns of the Boston Marathon course, as well as a field of professional male and female milers from around the world. In addition to being part of an exciting competition, student-athletes get some great swag.

Here are the bios of Natick’s young runners, provided by the Boston Athletic Association (if any proud moms/dads/guardians read this and want to share pics from the event with us, please do: natickreport@gmail.com):

Margaret Armstrong, Grade 7 at Kennedy Middle School
Personal Best for 2 Miles: 14:14 – Participated in State Championships for high jump

Lily Wheeler, Grade 8 at Wilson Middle School
PB for 1 Mile: 7:30 – Placed 1st in all events at a recent gymnastics tournament

Declan Hava, Grade 8 at Kennedy Middle School
PB for 3K: 11:12 – Medaled in the State Cross Country Championships in 2022

Oliver Jetzer, Grade 8 at Natick-Wilson Middle School
PB for 5K: 21:43 – Finished in the Cambridge Classic 5K in 2022

Madeline David, Grade 12 at Natick High School
PB Mile: 5:59 – Recently celebrated Senior Night basketball gave vs. Wellesley

Zoe Waldron, Grade 12 at Natick High School
PB Mile: 800 – Won Outdoor Divisonals in 2021 in the 4×400 relay

Ben Feldman, Grade 12 at Natick High School
PB Mile: 4:24 – Set the Natick High School 5K record in 2022

Ben Scharr-Weiner, Grade 12 at Natick High School
PB Mile: 4:44 – Broke the 5:00 barrier and PR’d by 7 seconds in his last race of sophomore year

Note: Girls’ 1-mile event record: 5:04.8, Grace Connolly, Natick, 2017

More: Readying for the Boston Marathon in Natick

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