Gianna Rahmer wins again, this time at Nike Southwest Regionals in Phoenix

Gianna Rahmer took her show on the road Saturday, and the young phenom produced her most special victory yet.

The effervescent eighth-grader from Hoover Middle School, who last weekend demolished the field at the Class 5A state cross country meet running for Eldorado High School, on Saturday morning captured first place at the Nike Cross Regionals Southwest 5k race just outside Phoenix.

As a result, Rahmer, who emerged as the most dominant and dynamic athlete in the state this year in any of the four fall sports, earned a spot in the Nike Nationals on Dec. 2 in Portland, Oregon, home to Nike’s national headquarters.

“It was perfect, and I don’t think I could have asked for a better race,” Rahmer, 13, said in a phone interview with the Journal.

In the girls championship race, Rahmer, representing Albuquerque’s Golden Eagles club, outkicked several challengers — most notably Isabel Allori from Fort Collins, Colorado — and won by just over a second.

Rahmer’s winning time was 17 minutes, 0.58 seconds. Allori finished in 17:01.69. She was second in this race last year, too.

“It was super, super fun,” Rahmer said. “I had so many people here and supporting me, and like every race that I’ve ran, it’s not how I expected it to go.”

The meet was held on a soggy Coyote Run Golf Course in Mesa, Arizona. Other states in the Southwest regional were Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Nevada.

Rahmer dominated last week’s state meet, winning by over 2 minutes and posting the first sub-17-minute girls time ever seen at that event in New Mexico. Rahmer was not challenged in any of her New Mexico meets with Eldorado, usually hitting the line with a huge gap between her and second place.

“I was super excited to have girls to race,” Rahmer said of Saturday.

Her emotions as she reached the finish line?

“I was so happy and so excited. And shocked,” she said with a giggle. “And I’m glad it was over. It was a tiring race.”

There was a video circulating on X, formerly known as Twitter, with her coaches and teammates hoisting Rahmer up on their shoulders in a joyous celebration.

“Such an amazing experience to be lifted up by them,” Rahmer said.

Said Rahmer’s father Mike with a laugh: “It was a riot.”

Next up is an all-expenses paid trip to Oregon, where Rahmer will test her mettle against the top girls in the country. Whatever happens at nationals, she said, this season has been one to remember.

“It’s just been so fun and so exhilarating,” Rahmer said. “I never know what’s gonna happen.”

As for nationals, Rahmer said she would begin preparing as soon as she gets home.

“I don’t think I really have any expectations,” she said. “I’m just gonna go out there and I’m gonna run and push my hardest and do my best.”

Oregon has been kind to the Rahmer family. Rahmer and her younger sister, Isla, both won national titles earlier this year in Eugene, Oregon, at the USA Track and Field Junior Olympic meet.

Like her sister, Isla won a regional race on Saturday — the USATF Junior Olympic cross country championship 11/12 Girls 3K in El Paso — and will also compete for a national title this year.

Rio Rancho High’s Charlie Vause, the 5A boys state cross country champ, had a terrific showing Saturday at the Nike Regionals, placing 14th in the Championship division. He did not qualify for nationals, either in that race or with his Rio Rancho team which placed 18th on Saturday. The top two teams advance, plus the top five individuals who were not on one of those two qualifying teams.