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Standout Lewiston-Altura athlete, Peyton Gunnarson, was recently voted as having the Best Minnesota Track and Cross Country moment of 2021 with his four state titles at the 2021 MSHSL State Track and Field Championships.
We at MileSplit Minnesota recently caught up with the 2021 graduate to talk about his state titles, high school career, and what's next for him at the University of Arizona.
How does it feel to win the Best Minnesota Track and Cross Country Moments of 2021 poll?
It feels amazing! Knowing that everyone who voted for me thought that it was the best moment of the year is surreal!
What was your favorite moment of your high school track and field career?
The countless memories of bus rides with my team.
You graduated last spring, how did it feel to go out with four more state titles?
It felt awesome! Definitely was a goal of mine to go out with a clean sweep, but even more memorable was getting to share the weekend with both of my siblings.
You are a part of the University of Arizona track athlete, how has the training for that been this far?
I've been dealing with a nagging injury and actually just had surgery so training has been on the shelf for a bit. Before all of that, I was training 6 days a week and doing 10-25 miles a day which is a lot more than I was used to.
What are you most looking forward to this collegiate track and field season?
Creating the greatest comeback story of all-time!
What goals do you have for the rest of your track and field career?
Win a world title and compete in the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles.
What is some advice you might give to future/current track and field athletes in Minnesota?
It's not the destination, but the journey that counts. Embrace the moment, enjoy the now, be in the present. You are going to go through so many situations along your journey and meet so many incredible people and when you reach the top of your mountain, you'll have so much to look back on and it's going to feel amazing to realize how much you had to overcome to get there!