* Wachtel ran a US No. 1 leading 5K for the 2021 season in December
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Justin Wachtel, Mary Persons (GA)
What's so impressive about Wachtel is that he's been on the radar in Georgia for the past six seasons.
In 2015, as a seventh-grader in Georgia, he competed for the first time in XC, and then the next year he earned his first win, hitting 17:48.78 on the clock at the Rock Ranch Invitational.
If nothing else, that set Wachtel up as a name to know in the state -- and eventually, beyond those state borders.
The Virginia signee did not disappoint over his career, accruing two state championship wins over the past two seasons and a Georgia all-time cross country 5K record of 14:26.91. He posted that time over his junior season at the Alexander/Asics Invitational. He also qualified for Foot Locker Nationals that same year.
Wachtel would close his high school cross country career with another sub-15, finishing fourth overall at the RunningLane XC National Championships. He won seven races over his senior season and had a total of 35 wins over the past six years.
| Distinctions | # |
|---|---|
| Total Wins | 35 |
| National Championship Qualifications | 1 |
| National Championship Top 5 Finishes | 0 |
| National Championship Top 40 Finishes | 1 |
| State Championship Wins | 2 |
| HS State/MS State Qualifications | 6 |
| State Top 10 Finishes | 5 |
| National/Regional-Level Wins | 0 |
| National/Regional Top 25 Finishes | 5 |
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