Sam Parsons, a professional runner from Newark, Del., and son of CRR Christina Parsons and CRR George Parsons, won the 3,000m indoor German National Championship in Leipzig on Saturday. Parsons, who has dual citizenship because of his German-born mother, made the decision last year to compete for her homeland.
The 25-year-old Parsons and another German-American runner, Amos Bartelsmeyer, finished 1-2 and were the only competitors to break eight minutes, Parsons clocking in at 7:53.71.
In a post-race interview, an ecstatic Parsons said, “It was amazing to compete here today. This is something special for me to start for the first time at the German Championships. The people here are so much cooler than in the U.S. The audience loves athletics. Now I am looking forward to running at the European Championships, and I hope to bring home a medal for Germany.”
He later posted, “I wanted to win so badly. I was willing to pour out whatever was necessary to win. It’s a moment I’ll cherish forever.”
A Tatnall School and North Carolina State University graduate, Parsons will be off to represent Germany in the European Championships on March 2–3 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Will he be ready? With two Creek Road Runners forming his direct bloodline, we bet he will be. “I’m not afraid of opponents,” he declared.
> See post-race video interview (in German)
> Also see Parsons breaks four-minute mile.
Editor’s Note: Parsons took 12th place in the Euro Championships on March 2.
In the 10K, CRR Christina Parsons won the 50-54 age group, finishing 40th overall out of 178 runners in 48:36. Parsons margin of victory in her age group was more than seven minutes! CRR Steve Tague, who finished 24th overall, ran a solid 44:37 and took second in the 55-59 age group.
In the 5K, the honors go to two 70-and-over seniors, who each won this ever-thinning division. CRR Doug Ridge won in 28:28, and CRR April Anderson won in 42:12 (no doubt walking much of it).
The fastest time among CRRs in the 5K belonged to CRR Doug Repetti, who ran a 27:05, taking second place among the 65-69s.
CRR Andrew Weber placed second overall, out of 206 finishers, in 19:26, easily winning his 30-39 age group.
59-year-old CRR Bill Rose was the first male masters finisher, placing 8th overall in 22:37.
CRR Natalie Rosenberg won the 30-39 age group, finishing 18th overall in 24:23.
A Newark, Del., native and 3200m state record holder, Parsons ran locally while at The Tatnall School and then went on to log a stellar collegiate career at North Carolina State. In June, he competed in the USA Track & Field Championships in the 5000m final, where he actually led the race with 800 meters to go.
Recently turned professional Sam Parsons, Newark native and son of CRR George Parsons and CRR Christina Parsons, will be competing in the 5000m race at the USATF Championships at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, this weekend. You can catch the action on Sunday on NBC, the telecast beginning at 4 p.m. (EDT).