Renfree Earns Silver with Team USA


Jake Renfree and Team USA performed well in Scotland over the weekend.

The Knoxville Catholic senior was asked to don the red, white and blue alongside three other elite high school runners for a unique event -- a cross country relay.

The quartet of Renfree, Drew Bosley, Katelynne Hart and Kelsey Chmiel placed second among junior teams in the 4x1.5km relay, finishing in 18:11. They were fifth overall. Team Europe was the winner of the junior race with a 18:08.

The junior team was only ten seconds behind the senior group. That team was led by Craig Nowalk (Cypress, Texas). 

Renfree said that he was challenged by the tough conditions.

"It was a really interesting course for sure," Renfree told USATF after the race. "There were three other guys by me battling for wind position, so it kind of slowed down a little bit." 

It's not everyday you get to compete in a cross country relay. And it made the course very tough for the Notre Dame signee.

But overall, Renfree enjoyed the experience.

"It was an interesting run, ending with a downhill and starting with an uphill. But it was fun. I liked it," he said.