Emelie Chavez, a seven-year-old girl from Bakersfield, has become the fastest seven-year-old in the world for the 3000 meters. She set the new record on February 28, running the distance in 11 minutes and 43 seconds during a college track meet hosted by Cerritos College, beating the previous record of 12 minutes and 10 seconds.
Emelie’s Record-Breaking Achievement
The record-breaking moment was shared by the Kern Track Club through pictures of Emelie smiling with pride after her accomplishment. Emelie broke into tears after crossing the finish line. Her father, Ramon Chavez, who also founded the Kern Track Club, shared, “I asked her why she was crying. She said, ‘It hurt so much.’ She was so happy, and then she hugged me.”
Ramon’s Perspective on Emelie’s Journey
Ramon Chavez said that breaking the previous world record was a difficult task, but Emelie had the right experience and determination to tackle it. She had already been a national champion in the six-and-under and seven-year-old categories, and she had earned multiple All-American honors.
Ramon wasn’t sure if it would be possible for Emelie to break the record, but she was confident, saying, “Let’s go do this,” he recalled.
Emelie’s Incredible Performance
Ramon, who was tracking her progress during the race, saw her increase her speed with each lap. “Just watching, I was speechless,” he said. “She just took off in the final laps.” Emelie’s ability to run faster as the race continued amazed her father.
Previous Record Holders
Before Emelie broke the world record, it had been held by Emma Felsman, an Australian runner. Taylor Sojourn, a resident of Anaheim, California, held the record before Felsman, with a time of 12 minutes and 40.36 seconds set in February of the previous year.
Emelie’s Early Start and Future Goals
Emelie began running when she was just four years old. Her father, who is originally from San Bernardino, started the Kern Track Club to create a positive environment for his older daughter. Emelie, being the younger sister, naturally followed her sibling into the sport. However, running wasn’t easy for Emelie at first.
Ramon explained, “We started her running with just a 400-meter slow jog, and at first, she didn’t really like it. It was tough for her.”
But as she kept running, Emelie began to enjoy the sport more and more.
Looking Ahead to Future Achievements
Now, the Chavez family is aiming for the national champion title in the 1500 meters this summer, with plans to attend the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) track nationals in Iowa. Emelie has bigger dreams, telling KGET that she wants to become an Olympian in the future.
Despite her success, Ramon Chavez emphasized that Emelie still doesn’t fully understand her accomplishments. He said, “I don’t try to pressure her to run. She’s just naturally gifted.”
“She’s very shy, just a normal little kid that runs a lot, I guess, compared to other kids her age,” he added.
