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37 Days Until the State Football Announcement
Gatorade 2015 - 2016: Player of the Year

Boys Cross Country - Kansas

athletes playing Boys Cross Country
The POY Logo
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Belesti Akalu

DIS
SHAWNEE MISSION NORTH HS
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS
SENIOR
Height: 5-FOOT-7
Press Release

Peak Performance

15:43.0

Class 6A ind. state championship

All-Metro XC Runner of the Year

15:45.0

Nike XC Nat'l Heartland championships (21st)

15:19

Class 6A regional championship
“Belesti was hands down the most dominant runner I saw from Kansas this year, and it's amazing to see what he accomplished having never run cross country before this year.”
Jeff Onnen
Head Coach
excellence star

Athletic Excellence

The 5-foot-7, 110-pound senior distance runner raced to the Class 6A individual state championship with a time of 15:43.40 this past season, leading the Indians to fifth place as a team. The All-Metro Cross Country Runner of the Year as named by the Kansa

a graduation cap

Academic Achievement

Akalu has maintained a 3.34 weighted GPA in the classroom.

first place ribbon

Exemplary Character

In addition to serving as a tutor for his younger siblings and working a part-time job, he has volunteered at the Kidane Mihret Ethiopian Orthodox Church.