ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – It’s already been established that it doesn’t matter where Fiona Smith runs for her to set records and find success. This past weekend in Oregon, she found out it also doesn’t matter who she’s running against.
Smith broke her own school record by more than 20 seconds Saturday at the Lewis & Clark Invite, and she finished top-five in a field that included several local Division I programs. After another big race, Smith is this week’s CSB Athlete of the Week.
Running against Division I program like Oregon and Oregon State didn’t faze Smith, a sophomore on the College of Saint Benedict cross country team. She was in the top three after the first kilometer of the 6K race, and stayed in the top five throughout the race.
When all was said and done, Smith finished fourth out of 246 runners in 21:01.4 – 26 seconds faster than her previous school record. After becoming the first CSB cross country athlete to break 22 minutes in a 6K, she is just over a second away from becoming the first athlete in school history to break 21 minutes in the race.
Smith has finished in the top four at all five races she has competed in so far this season, including a trio of first-place finishes. Up next for Smith and the Bennies is the 2021 MIAC Championships on Saturday, Oct. 30. The race is in Northfield.
