The 2008 Winter Track Season ended with a bang this past weekend, as two athletes competed at the Nike Indoor National Championships, held at the Prince Georges County Sports & Learning Complex.  The team was represented by junior Lia DiValentin, who competed in both the 5,000m run and the Mile Run, and senior Eric Palmer, who ran the 800m.

Coming off of an eventful two weeks in which she earned her 4th straight VHSL runner-up finish, in the 3200m run, at the state meet, and being named to the First Team All Met by the Washington Post, DiValentin also earned her 2nd career All-American award on Saturday.  Running against a quality field in the 5,000m run, Lia ran 17:57.31 to finish 4th, and a trip to the medal stand, to go along with her 3rd place in the Freshman Mile run, two years ago in 2006.  She concluded her season with a tough 11th place in the Mile Run on Sunday.

Lia's XBC Track Club (CHS's post-season team name, dedicated to former alum, XB Cox IV) teammate, senior Eric Palmer also finished his best season with a strong race, in the 800m run.  Ending a season which has gone on farther than any in his career, he earned a personal best time in 2:02.45, which was good enough for 39th place of the 50 competitors.

The Chantilly track team, athletes and staff, are proud of these two runners, and of the success that they and their teammates had all season.  We look forward to a strong outdoor season, filled with more individual and collective success stories.