Elite runners showed up and put on a show at the Punahou Invitational on this date in 2010.
Kamehameha senior Jordan Thibodeau broke the course record by more than 10 seconds to win the boys race and the first- and second-place girls destroyed the mark by more than 15 seconds.
Erin Robinson of Gunn (Calif.) beat Seabury Hall’s Dakota Grossman in that contest, winning at the tape with a 19:15:21 time to Grossman’s 19:15:55. Grossman, who became one of the most celebrated runners in Hawaii high school history, had to run without warming up or seeing the course because her original flight was canceled because of mechanical problems.
Organizers delayed the start by 10 minutes to allow her to compete.
Grossman congratulated Robinson, saying it would help her at states and it certainly did. The Spartan beat 2009 champion Elli Brady of Punahou for the state title the next three years before completing the slam in 2013 with a win over future champion Amanda Beaman of Iolani. Grossman and Punahou’s Eri Macdonald remain the only girls to complete the state slam.
Thibodeaux ran a time of 16:18.52 to break a mark set by Bryce Jenkins of Leilehua. Thibodeau ended up repeating as ILH champion but took second at the state championships behind fellow senior Margarito Martinez of Leilehua.
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