If one hasn’t had a chance to watch Kennebunk star runner Abbey Leonardi compete in a cross country event, they might want to do it soon as they won’t be disappointed.
Leonardi, a senior for the Rams this year, is simply a sight to behold on a crosscountry course, and she didn’t disappoint this past Saturday while competing in the Western Maine Class A regional at Twin Brook in Cumberland.
Leonardi overcame a muddy and uneven course to win her second straight regional crown by more than one minute and 10 seconds, which in cross country terms is a landslide. She set a course record in the process.
When the race began, she quickly put herself into a 30-foot lead within the first 1,000 feet, and from there she steadily increased her speed. As she came down the final shoot, no one was near her as she cruised across the finish line all alone. She was in the middle of her first interview with a newspaper reporter before the second place runner came into sight.
When Leonardi crossed the finish line, completing the 3.1-mile course in 18:05, she didn’t even look tired. Her breathing still seemed effortless as she exited the course with a large smile.
Her finish was in stark contrast to that of other runners, as some crossed the finish line and collapsed, cried or breathed heavily as they displayed signs of having pushed their bodies to their limits. None of them, even with their best efforts, could come close to Leonardi, who said after the race she didn’t run as fast as she would’ve liked because of the course’s slickness that occurred after two days of rain pelted the area.
Leonardi is quiet and unassuming. Off the cross country course, one would never know she was a star athlete. On the course, however, she appears to be the next Joan Benoit Samuelson, Maine’s best runner ever, who is famous for winning the first women’s marathon gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Like Benoit Samuelson, Leonardi is physically unimposing and petite. She is soft spoken, sweet and sincere. On the race course, however, she turns into an intense and focused competitor.
This Saturday will be her last high school competition as she will be running for a fourth straight Class A State title in Cumberland. After this race, her running talents will take her away from Maine as she will compete at a high collegiate level. She won’t let on yet which school that could be, but it is safe to say that she will make a name for herself there, too. In fact, she was heading out for a college visit after her race this past Saturday.
She is well-known not only in Maine, but in New England as she was the 2009 New England champion. She placed in the top 20 in the Footlocker National Cross Country championships last season, a race that pitted her against the best runners in the United States.
Maine cross country fans have been treated to Leonardi’s exploits for the past four years, and while her high school career in cross country will come to an end on Saturday, the memories of her dominance will remain with us forever.
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Today’s editorial was written by Sports Editor Al Edwards on behalf of the Journal Tribune editorial board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via e-mail at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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