Thunderbird Walks To National Championship

Half Hollow Hills High School East incoming junior Jessica Grover is pictured during the Junior Olympic meet in Kansas last month.

Already national champion, Half Hollow Hills High School East race walker Jessica Grover is still looking to take the next step.

“I hope to keep improving on my times over the next two years,” said Grover, who clocked in at 16:01.98 in the 15-16 year-old division 3,000-meter race walk event at last month’s National Junior Olympic championships.

The event, held at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kansas, is hosted by USA Track & Field. Several of today’s Olympic stars got their start at the USATF Junior Olympic meets.

Grover’s time was nearly a minute better than that of the runner up.

“I’m still amazed to have won this race in a field of so many other great young competitors,” said Grover, who is prepping for her junior year at Hills East.

In order for Grover to get to this championship meet she needed to qualify twice, once on Long Island and again in Massachusetts.

And she did it all while only taking up race walking last winter.

Mitchel Troise, assistant coach of the Half Hollow Hills varsity girls indoor and outdoor track and field programs, said, “We are thrilled with Jessie’s accomplishments at the Junior Olympics.

Troise added, “Our entire team is looking forward to what the future may bring for her young career.”