In 1776, just after the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, John Adams wrote to Abigail Adams about Independence Day that "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival."On Saturday morning, 4 July 2016, they did just that in Jay, Florida with the Celebrate Freedom 5K and University of West Florida cross-country runner Micah Kemp was the fastest in the celebration. The Jay native won the race for the third year in a row, running 17:42. The women's title went to Olivia Blackmon, an eighth-grader at Miller High School, just up the river from Jay in Brewton, Alabama. Blackmon was seventh overall in 21:20.
Cody Wolfe, a senior on the Jay High cross-country squad, was runner-up in 19:06. Escambia Academy sophomore cross-country runner Jackson Bonner placed third in 20:03. Billy Bryant was the top master runner and fourth overall in 20:11.
Jillian Thornton, an eighth-grader on the Jay High cross-country team, was second in the women's standings and twelfth overall in 23:20. Miller High senior harrier Carmen Knowles edged Tate High junior Riley Orr for third on the women's side, 23:34 to 23:35. Knowles and Orr were fourteenth and fifteenth overall. Melissa Wolter was the first woman master and eighth female finisher, coming in 38th overall in 27:10.
89 athletes joined the celebration by finishing the 2016 Celebrate Freedom 5K. The next celebration will be the eighteenth annual Celebrate Freedom 5K on 4 July 2017.
Top Ten Men, 2016 Celebrate Freedom 5K
- 17:42 ~ Micah Kemp (M, OAM)
- 19:06 ~ Cody Wolfe (M, 15-19)
- 20:03 ~ Jackson Bonner (M, 15-19)
- 20:11 ~ Billy Bryant (M, MSGM)
- 20:15 ~ Casey DeLong (M, 15-19)
- 21:06 ~ Ernie Brooks (M, 60-64)
- 22:03 ~ Rider Jernigan (M, 15-19)
- 22:12 ~ Cecil Chandler (M, 30-34)
- 23:16 ~ Austin Gonzalez (M, 15-19)
- 23:18 ~ Randy Hildreth (M, 55-59)
Top Ten Women, 2016 Celebrate Freedom 5K
- 21:30 ~ Olivia Blackmon (F, OAF)
- 23:20 ~ Jillian Thornton (F, 13-14)
- 23:34 ~ Carmen Knowles (F, 15-19)
- 23:35 ~ Riley Orr (F, 15-19)
- 24:18 ~ Elyse Carmichael (F, 00-10)
- 25:56 ~ Jasmine Castaineda (F, 15-19)
- 26:01 ~ Gerri Ann Haddox (F, 30-34)
- 27:10 ~ Melissa Wolter (F, MF)
- 27:31 ~ Valerie Wright (F, 35-39)
- 27:43 ~ Leslie Specht (F, 35-39)
| Some past winners of the Jay, Florida, Celebrate Freedom 5K | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Men | Women | Finishers |
| 4 July 2011 | |||
| 4 July 2012 | 16:42, Caleb Carmichael | 21:49, Sandy Ebanks | 66 |
| 4 July 2013 | |||
| 4 July 2014 | 17:00, Micah Kemp | 21:19, Susan Smith | 97 |
| 4 July 2015 | 16:30, Micah Kemp | 23:57, Tarah Townsend | 72 |
| 4 July 2016 | 17:42, Micah Kemp | 21:30, Olivia Blackmon | 89 |
Links
- Complete results of the 2016 Jay, Florida, Celebrate Freedom 5K
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BM_dC68xn5dSDeTOQQzEazI-zckGmUm-43CYIQjAN6I/pubhtml
- 2015 story, “Kemp and Townsend celebrate wins at the Celebrate Freedom 5K”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/07/jay-freedom-2015.html
- More Independence Day 2016 racing coverage on Trouble Afoot!
- Gainesville FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/07/ftc-melon-2016.html
- Jay FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/07/jay-freedom-2016.html
- Tallahassee FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/07/firecracker-2016.html
- Valdosta GA: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/07/valdosta-independence-2016.html
- Jay, Florida, Celebrate Freedom 5K Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/celebratefreedom5k
- Find upcoming races celebrating freedom on the Trouble Afoot! running calendar
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
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