This past season, Auburn’s Adam Downs placed fifth individually in the Class 1 state cross country championship with a time of 16:33.7 and led the Eagles to a second-place finish.
By Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Auburn High School distance runner Adam Downs will run all the way to Radford University this fall.
Downs was part of five Class 1 state championship teams in cross country and outdoor and indoor track and announced Monday, he would run cross country at RU.
“I chose RU because it met my academic needs, kept me close to home, and gave me the opportunity to continue running,” he said.
Downs was the district cross–country champion in 2019 and was part of the first place 3200-meter relay team in 2018, which set a new state record in 1A competition.
The Auburn senior was robbed of his outdoor season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “While it is unfortunate that I probably am not able to compete in any races this season, I am looking ahead to the fall season and have been continuing my training on my own,” Downs said.
In November, Radford’s men’s team placed fifth at the Big South Conference championships. The team included Downs’ former Auburn teammate Peyton Hurd.
At RU, Downs plans to seek a double major in mathematics and cybersecurity.
