Here's Why Florance Uwajeneza Is My Role Model


I'm Molly Moening, an 8th grader from Saint Paul Highland ParkI have been running cross country and track for the last two years. I have competed against many girls, but one of my most inspiring competitors is Florance Uwajeneza, a senior from St. Paul Como Park.

We are in the same conference and sections and have run many races against each other. Florance is a conference champion in cross country and all conference in track. We have been running together for two years now, but I have know her since she started making a name for herself in our conference, as she ran against my sisters. In the past two years, I have gotten to know her, and come to realize how cool of a person she is.

She is a fierce competitor, but is always there with her arms open after a race. I don't know if she realizes it, but I've come to look up to her a lot, and she has left a great impact on me with her great sportsmanship and character. When I get older, I hope that I can act to the younger girls like she did to me.

In 2013, her family moved to the U.S. from a refugee camp in Rwanda (her story was documented in an incredible Flosports article). Florance had a tough season managing injuries last fall and was only able to run a handful of races, but one of her races was the Maroon race at the Roy Griak Invitational (which she won).  

She was unable to race at Sections, missing out on her final chance to qualify for for State in cross country. This spring, she had one more shot to qualify for a State Meet in track, but that task was even more challenging - while Sections for cross country takes eight individuals, track only takes two.

In her first race this spring at True Team Sections she ran the 3200, a race that she never used to run. She said that she had been going to a masseuse as much as possible, trying to stay healthy and keep any more injuries away.  She ran a a very respectable 12:09, and placed 5th.

I figured it would be her last 3200 of her season, and high school career. Sure enough, at Conference, she was instead running the 1600m and 800m. She placed 3rd in the 1600 in 5:25, a 17-second personal record, and in the 800 a few hours later, she stayed in a tight pack and placed 4th.

I don't know if she realizes it, but I've come to look up to her a lot, and she has left a great impact on me with her great sportsmanship and character. When I get older, I hope that I can act to the younger girls like she did to me.

The next week was the Sections. Like Conference, she was in the 1600, but I was surprised to see her also signed up for the 3200. That race was originally supposed to be Tuesday night, but after a long lightning delay, it was postponed to Wednesday afternoon. And then it was postponed again on Wednesday after more lightning to an unknown future time and date.

When running events finally did take place on Thursday, Florance ran the 1600m. She was in a pack of five girls with me going into the last lap, but despite running a PR time of 5:20, she missed out on a state qualifying spot by four seconds. By then they had finally decided on a make-up time for the 3200 of Friday morning, 16 hours after the 1600.  Depending on how it went, it could be her last race of her high school career, or her first time qualifying for a State Meet.

Before the meet, I thought about how amazing it would be if we could both make it to State. She had the 6th-fastest seed time, which was her 12:09 from earlier in the year. We had raced together in many races together since I joined Cross Country in 2016, and we knew each other well. For us to be able to run at State together, for her final high school race, would feel so cool.

The 3200 started off with a fast first lap, but after that it simmered down. I found myself running right next to Florance, at the front of a pack of five girls, which soon turned into four. Florance and I ran right next to each other the whole way.

Every time we ran by her coach (a really cool guy named Tim Kersey), he was encouraging her, yelling our splits, reminding her how hard she had worked for this, and that she wanted it more than anyone else. I was freaking out, my legs felt tired from the night before, and although my lungs were keeping up, I couldn't seem to go any faster.  I knew there were girls drafting behind me, doing less work.

With one lap to go, Florance took the lead with Maggie Blanding of White Bear Lake, and I tucked in right behind her.  With 100 meters to go, I pulled around the outside into the middle of the track, lapping another racer. I pulled ahead, but just a few steps before the finish line, I hit a wall.

Out of the right corner of my eye I saw Florance next to me, and out of the left side I saw Maggie. We all leaned across at almost the exact same time--it was going to be the closest 3200 race I had ever run, and only two of us could make it to State. The officials decided that I had kept my lead for first, but second place was a photo finish.

From what I saw, it seemed that Florance had gotten second, and sure enough a few minutes later, they announced that Florance was second. My teammates and I all ran to hug her, but the outcome was challenged. We were the only event on Friday, and there was no FAT timing, so the officials had to depend on an iPhone video to determine who finished second.

She did want it more, and she went out there and dug deep and got it.  

Florance didn't care. She knew that she had gotten it, and she knew that the officials would realize that. We were all overjoyed for her. She had no teammates there, so all the Highland girls celebrated with her. When I congratulated her on the 30 second PR she looked at me with shock. She couldn't believe that she had ran that time, and hadn't taken a glance at the clock. It only got better when we cheered my Highland teammate Oliver Paleen onto a second place finish in the boy's 3200.

With the final results still up in air, the officials waited to make an official announcement. They called the boys up first for awards, making us wait even longer.  Finally we got called to the podium and made it official--Florance was going to state!

Being there on the podium with her, after a very mentally tough race,  I thought back to what her coach had told her during the race.

She did want it more, and she went out there and dug deep and got it.  

It was one of the best feelings--the two of us, from St. Paul Public Schools, had beaten out the bigger, suburban schools that always seemed to dominate these races.  

Her race at State today will be her last high school race, and I am so grateful I get to run it with her. Florance will continue running next year with her brother, Innocent, at Iowa Central Community College.

Their women's team was the 2017 NJCAA Cross Country Champions, and I know that Florance will help contribute great things to this already-impressive team. If you are at the state championships this weekend, watch out for Florance in the AA 3200m race and cheer extra loud for her!