Submitted Photo

UTICA – This year, 2016, marked the 28th year of the Boilermakers' annual Utica National Kids’ Run. This popular event for newcomers to the sport of running, attracted the likes of one such local girl, nine year old, Amelia Hartwell.

Of the some 1,600 plus children who participated in this family-fun race on July 9, in Utica, it was Amelia, her mother Emily Bentivegna, and her younger sister Ava who came out on top at the end of the day. Accompanying them on their ¾ race was Gibson Physical Education Teacher, and assistant varsity Track and Field coach at Norwich Phil Curley.

“Imagine running ¾ of a mile and trusting someone to take you to the right spot. She has really come a long way since she was five years old. The running thing has only been this year, we have been experimenting and trying to find out what clicks with her, and the running really has clicked. She does some running on the treadmill at the Y, so she is capable there as well,” said Curley.

Amelia with the help of her mother and Mr. Curley – who both ran alongside her the whole way completed this run in Utica, and when asked if she'd like to stop her mother recounted Amelia explaining she 'just wanted to keep running.' Seven year old Ava, even posted a second place finish to top off their first of many successful Boilermaker runs.