Ava Parekh shows the distance that she put between herself and the competition
It has been a very good comeback season overall for the girls in the state of Illinois, just a year after the Covid-19 changed the landscape of normalcy. There is one girl who came away with a smile just about every race detailing that fact...
Ava Parekh somehow has gone the last two seasons undefeated against the competition on Illinois soil. Most people have gotten accustomed to the Chicago Latin senior's dominant ways.
The 2021 season presented Parekh with many options. One of those options by the pundits was for her to sit out the first month of the campaign and begin racing in October. The reasoning behind it was she could preserve her body and mental state for a long post-season run.
Parekh made her debut at the Hinsdale-Hornet Invite and won for the first time by over 30 seconds in 17:08. Two weekends later at the winner takes all Richard Spring Invitational in Peoria, Parekh blitzed a tremendous field with a time of 16:40. Among those slain included
Josephine Welin (Oak Park-River Forest),
Grace Schager (Glenbard North),
Aly Negovetich (Grant), and Brooke Johnston (Lake Zurich).
It was clear that Parekh established herself as the state's top runner heading into the Roy Griak Invite in Minnesota. A hot start would eventually cool Parekh on the rugged 5k course in which she took second to nationally ranked
Ali Weimer of MN with a time of 17:58.
Parekh would return home and run her final big race before the post-season at the Naperville Twilight Invitational. The hyped meet contained just as much talent as the PND Invite several weeks earlier. There was not much of a fight as Parekh once again ran away with an easy victory. 16:31 was one of the fastest times in meet history and established Parekh as the main girl to watch during the IHSA state series.
Parekh did not bypass any races on her way to Peoria. She won the Mather Regional (16:52) and Fenton Sectional (18:19). The stage was set for Detweiller and the final task had to be completed. Mary Grace Hegberg (St. Viator), Elia Ton-That (Chicago Northside Prep), and teammate Mia Kotler were some of the key players.
Parekh and Hegberg battled for nearly half of the race before Parekh pulled away for the personal best win in 16:23.
Parkekh's magical season would extend to December and she earned two All-American honors at the Garmin RunningLane Nationals and Eastbay Nationals. It was a great overall season for one of the state's all-time best performers.
