Nayomi Granados and Brooke French, Randall cross country, Fr.
On the course: The dynamic duo of Randall freshmen runners Nayomi Granados and Brooke French were the backbone of why the Lady Raider cross country team brought home their first UIL Class 4A state championship since 2018 and the fourth title in program history.
Running side-by-side the entire race, both were able to find the individual medal stand earning silver and bronze medals with their times being separated by mere fractions of a second. Granados took home the silver medal while French earned the bronze medal both with posted times of 11:17.6. That’s very fitting for two very close friends and competitors who push each other to get better each and every day.
Coach Rebekah James: “There is nothing harder than trying to win a state title. You have so much go on through a season like injuries and other things to work through. We started in June and this was our goal from the beginning. Brooke and Nayomi are great together. They push each other every day in practice and that makes it easier when someone is there to pace you. Nayomi wasn’t here this summer. She was in Mexico, but she did the workouts. Brooke loves soccer and we weren’t sure if she wanted to run but she showed her dedication and decided to do it. I’m just so proud of both of them and what this team accomplished.”
Granados: “It was so exciting. It’s definitely been one of the best moments of my life. Having Brooke and my team running with me definitely calmed my nerves down because there were so many people there. It just felt so good to get on that podium and win a state championship with my team. I think I’ve cut almost two minutes off my time from the start of the year and a big part of that is because of Brooke. Brooke has pushed me and made me so much better.”
French: “Winning a state championship means so much to me. It shows all the hard work this team put in since the summer paid off and it’s such a relief after a long season. I think I’ve cut almost two minutes off my time from my first race of the year. Nayomi helped me with that. She is a great teammate and makes me go so much faster. She set a pace at state that really helped and I’m glad we did what our team was able to do.”
About Granados
Favorite band or musician: Mexican music
Favorite social media platform: TikTok
Favorite athlete: Cameron McConnell
Bet you didn’t know: She is originally from Mexico.
Parents: Jose and Lupe Granados
About French
Favorite band or musician: Beyonce
Favorite social media platform: TikTok
Favorite athlete: Cameron McConnell
Bet you didn’t know: She loves to play soccer.
Parents: Kip and Melissa French