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Gianna Rahmer headed back to Nike Nationals
Eldorado High School Gianna Rahmer leans on the railing after winning the girls Metro Cross Country Championship race at Nusenda Community stadium on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.
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Eldorado High School sophomore Gianna Rahmer is on her way back to the Nike Cross Nationals.
The three-time Class 5A state cross country champion for the Eagles placed fourth on Saturday at the Nike Cross Southwest Regional in Mesa, Arizona, to punch her ticket to nationals.
The Nike Cross Nationals are Saturday, Dec. 6, in Portland, Oregon. In 2023, Rahmer finished sixth at nationals. She didn't compete last year.
Rahmer's time in Arizona was 16 minutes, 54.87 seconds, which eclipsed her personal record of 16:58.01 set at the 2023 New Mexico state cross country meet at the Albuquerque Academy course.
After winning the Nike Cross regionals in 2023, Rahmer slipped to 27th in 2024.
"I can finally take a deep breath after a whole year of training to run as fast as I can at this race and after having a terrible race last year," she said Saturday. "It's very exciting to be able to go back and run a PR."
Utah's Lily Alder won the girls championship division race Saturday with a time of 16:36.02.
Moriarty junior Carmen Dorsey-Spitz, who won the 4A state title earlier this month, also competed. She placed 16th (17:28.94) in the regional.
The top finishers in the boys championship division were 4A state champion Nicholas Ponte of Albuquerque Academy, who was 23rd, and Elijah England of Navajo Prep, the 3A state champ, who crossed in 24th.
Frank Bailey contributed to this article.
