For the fourth straight year, attendance for the state cross country meet topped 7,000.
There were 7,421 spectators combined for the eight races last Friday at the Kearney Country Club. That’s slightly behind the 7,718 last year, which is believed to be the meet’s record for attendance.
Attendance this year likely got a boost from warm and dry weather that day. There were also some noteworthy races, including Fremont’s Juan Gonzalez's attempt to set a state meet record. He did while winning the Class A race in 14 minutes, 52 seconds — six seconds faster than the previous record.
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There was also strong local interest, with Kearney senior Abigail Burger winning the Class A girls race on a course located just 2 miles from her school. Burger gave the Kearney girls program its first state champion in 26 years.
While the number of runners who qualify for state is similar each year, participation in cross country has gone up at several schools in the past decade, and many of those athletes go to the state meet to watch and support their teammates.
At Lincoln Southwest, where the girls team was Class A runner-up, there were 101 runners combined for boys and girls. Lincoln North Star had 40 out, and Fremont had 38.
In 2022, 2,736 boys and 1,976 girls participated in cross country in Nebraska.
State cross country meet attendance
2024; 7,421
2023; 7,718
2022; 7,609
2021; 7,586
2020; 6,754
2019; 6,175
2018; 6,262
2017; 6,249
2016; 6,408
2015; 6,093
2014; 5,499
2013; 5,869
2012; 5,477
2011; 5,846
2010; 5,300
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