The Big Island has been a breeding ground for young runners competing in various sports such as marathons, biathlons, triathlons, track and field and cross country. With a plethora of training activities and competitions, Hawaii gives its high school athletes
The Big Island has been a breeding ground for young runners competing in various sports such as marathons, biathlons, triathlons, track and field and cross country. With a plethora of training activities and competitions, Hawaii gives its high school athletes plenty of chances to hone their skills for college, allowing them to standout at the next level.
One such standout, who is already rewriting the record books on the college scene is Alexis Van Pernis, who’s at Brown, an Ivy League school.
Van Pernis, who went by the first name of Kristiana during her time at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, recently was part of a school record-breaking 3,200-meter relay team at the Ivy League indoor track and field championships at Cornell University.
Van Pernis was the only member of the team with 800 experience, having reached the finals in a heat the previous day.
“I was the first leg,” Van Pernis said on the relay run. “The coach told me beforehand that the first leg is like going into battle. We start at the same time, and in a tight race, elbows are thrown and everyone is fighting for position.”
Van Pernis handed off the baton to Jeanine Noordam (San Jose, Calif.) with her team in fourth place. Noordam then passed to Clare Peabody (Aptos, Calif.). The squad was in third place going into the final leg when Taylor Worthy (Medfield, Mass) took over the final leg. She overcame a 10-meter disadvantage to pull off the victory in a time of 8 minutes, 54.61 seconds
“It was really great,” Pernis said. “We all have the same mindset, and though we are not running at the same time, we can feel each other cheering.”
Brown finished fifth (65.5 points) at the championships.
Pernis, a sophomore, competes in indoor and outdoor track for the Bears, as well as cross country. She also competed in all three sports as a freshman.
“I love it here and I am very happy I choose this school over the many other options,” Pernis said. “It is cool to experience a different environment where you can meet awesome people from England, South Africa and all over the U.S., and that is just on the track team.”
A four-year letter-winner in cross country, soccer and track and field at Hawaii Prep, Pernis placed in every state championship in each sport throughout her high school career.
As a senior, Pernis was named the 2014 Hawaii Prep Female Athlete of the Year. She was the BIIF champion in cross country and an all-conference fullback in soccer. When she looks back on her time at Hawaii Prep, it is her time spent in athletics that she remembers most fondly.
“It was part of my life growing up,” Pernis said. “I think my favorite memory is when we won the state championship in soccer my senior year.”
At Brown, Pernis plans on earning an environmental science degree and pursuing post graduate studies.
