Portsmouth High's Gray goes up against the best in muddy race

PHS junior competes in Nike National Championships

Posted 12/17/24

PORTSMOUTH — On a mud-splattered course during a total downpour, Portsmouth High junior Sean Gray competed against the very best runners in the country.

Running in the Nike National …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Portsmouth High's Gray goes up against the best in muddy race

PHS junior competes in Nike National Championships

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — On a mud-splattered course during a total downpour, Portsmouth High junior Sean Gray competed against the very best runners in the country.

Running in the Nike National Championships (NXN) on Dec. 7 in Portland, Ore., Gray placed 63rd out of 198 of the fastest high school boys in the country. Among the juniors, he came in 15th.

Due to the slippery conditions, Gray fell a couple of times on the course, located just down the road from the Nike World Headquarters. 

The qualifier race was held Nov. 23 in Wappinger Falls, N.Y. at the Northeast Regional, one of eight regional races nationwide. Gray earned his spot at the national meet by placing sixth overall.

“That race was a tactical one,” Gray said. “I ran well but fell off the pack about halfway through. I soon caught up and ran close to the lead. I placed sixth, but was the fourth individual qualifier, so I would be going to NXN. As I crossed the line I already knew I qualified. It was an amazing feeling. I have worked so hard to get this and finally doing it is just so rewarding.”

Gray said it was an honor to spend time with some of the best runners in the nation after he flew into Portland. “I got to meet Olympians like Cole Hocker, the Olympic champion in the 1500 meters; Kennith Rooks, the Olympic silver medalist in the 3K steeplechase; and Grant Fisher, the Olympic bronze medalist in the 5K and 10K.”

Gray said he struggled in the NXN due to the poor conditions. “I had a bad start and because of the mass amount of people in the race; I got stuck in my position,” he said. “I couldn’t really make moves to get in a better place and being stuck on the inside of the course, the muddiest part, I struggled to get traction and run fast. I know better what to do next time and how to run my race.”

While he said it was one of his worst races of the year, considering all the other factors he was happy with how it played out. 

“My goal this season was to make it to nationals, so actually running in it was a cherry on top,” he said.

2025 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.