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Father McGivney's Girls Cross Country Star Elena Rybak Dominates Season Opener

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GLEN CARBON – Father McGivney Catholic High School's girls cross country team had a notable start to the season as Elena Rybak broke the school record for three miles with a time of 16:46.1.

Competing as the Griffins’ sole representative, Rybak dominated the girls varsity field in the season opener. Rybak reflected on her performance, crediting a fellow competitor for pushing her during the race.

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"I felt really good in the race, especially having Waterloo’s Cameron (Crump) come to push me through two miles, then I picked the pace up," Rybak said. "I feel like I am ready for the season. I am stronger than I have ever been."

Waterloo's cross-country sensation Crump pushed herself to a time of 17:03.20, a PR.

The upcoming weekend will see Rybak and her teammates competing in Peoria. Rybak has been preparing rigorously for the season, incorporating some weightlifting and mental training into her regimen.

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"I am doing some weightlifting. I have done a lot of mental training and I am ready to race up at Detweiller in Peoria at the state meet," she added.

The opening meet provided a promising start for Rybak, who expressed optimism about her preparation and performance.

"It was a beautiful morning to race and was definitely good to shake the nerves out for sure," she said.

As the season progresses, Rybak and the Father McGivney Catholic cross-country team aim to build on this strong foundation and achieve further success.

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