Hundreds of students and families from Martin County braved rain and cold weather Saturday morning to fill the football field at Martin County High School for the annual Russell Holloway Track Meet.
The young athletes, ranging from third to fifth grade, competed in multiple events including the 75-yard dash, 200-meter run, relay races, long jump and softball throws.
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"It's so exciting to come to these events, and it's such a fun experience doing all of this," said Adrianna Mattera, a Citrus Grove fifth-grade track star.
"I think it's super cool that I get to experience all of the fun stuff during my childhood," said Sienna Silas, a fellow Citrus Grove fifth-grade track star.
The Russell Holloway Track Meet has become a cornerstone event for Martin County elementary students, providing early exposure to competitive track and field.
"It's a great experience for all the kids to experience track at a young age to get them ready for the future if they want to compete on the track team for middle school and high school," said Coach T, the Citrus Grove Elementary coach.
Citrus Grove Elementary entered the competition as defending overall champions, looking to protect their title with confident young athletes.
"Our 4x4 team is pretty good, and I'm pretty good at all of them," Mattera said.
"One year, I got first place, and we also won in our 400," Silas said.
The confidence proved justified as Citrus Grove Elementary successfully defended their championship, earning back-to-back titles at the meet.
