Athlete of the Week: Adams’ career comes full circle as he runs circles around competition at state championship meet
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Emerging through the fog as the new Division I boys state cross country champion Saturday was Palmer senior Fischer Adams, first to the finish line after running 5-kilometers around the Palmer High Trails.
”It’s so much fun, I was so happy that we were able to race here senior year and that helped motivate me to put the stamp on it and come out here and show everyone that I want it and that I want it more than them and I am willing to do whatever it takes on my home course.” Adams said after becoming a state champion. “I’ve run here since I was in middle school. I know it like the back of my hand. If someone was with me, I knew where I had to throw down and make a move and so I think that definitely helps.”
The Moose senior trampled around the familiar course in 16 minutes flat, 43 seconds ahead of second place and the fastest recorded time across three divisions at the state meet.
”I didn’t realize how much of a gap I had, I don’t really like to look back, so I wasn’t really looking back but I think someone yelled out, ‘You got 20 seconds on him,’ and that’s kind of when I realized, ‘Oh okay, well it is just me and the [lead] biker now.’”
In contention for the state title in recent years, Adams put it all together his senior season with top-3 finishes in every race, including victories at the Frank Dieckgraeff Invitational in Seward, the Mustang Smokin’ Stampede in Chugiak and the Region 3 Championships.
”It means a lot,” Adams said of capping off his high school career as a champion. “Coming in sophomore year I got third and then last year I was kind of battling through an injury and so I was pretty devastated for my season to go the way that it did. So this season I came in with the mentality that I just got to go for it, I got to put in the work, I have to have the dedication and the will to come out and work hard and get the state championship.”
And it all paid off as the fastest long-distance runner in Alaska and the 2023 Division I cross country state champion. Also a standout soccer player, Adams plans to let his senior year play out before making any collegiate decisions.
Copyright 2023 KTUU. All rights reserved.
