At the cross country Northern Region Championship on Nov. 4, AHS junior Ahmed Bile bounced back from a season-long injury just in time to destroy the field of 124 other runners to take the individual boys crown, becoming the regional champion.

It wasn’t very surprising to the rest of the crowd that he could pull of this spectacular win with a father like Abdi Bile, who boasts a 1987 world champion title in the 1500 meter race, and an impressive personal record of his own with a 3:49 mile and 1:43.6 800 half mile. With such a record, Bile has high hopes for states.

Ahmed ran this race after coming back from a 7 week-long injury of a sprained foot; his last race was the Monroe parker invitational in which he finished third overall.

Bile ran the race well, tagging along with the race leaders Abraham Yacob of Robert E. Lee and Chantilly sophomore Sean McGorty, Toward the end of the race, when he decided to make his move and pass the runners in front of him, he slipped and fell in the rain

“I kind of gave up after that happened, but they were slowing down, so I caught up,” said Bile. Eventually, Bile passed both of his competitors and pulling away for the win with a time of 15:22.

Although this is not his first northern region title, Bile had an outstanding spring track season sophomore year finishing as district champion in the mile, regional champion in the 800, and finishing second in the state meet for the 800, this is the first time he has earned a cross country title.

Ahmed’s goal going into the regional meet was “I wanted to win.” His reaction after the race was “extremely happy, [I] can’t put it into words.”

The next meet he will be running is the VHSL State Cross Country Championship Meet this Saturday, November 13th 2010 at Great Meadows. The boys race is scheduled to start at 11:15. Bile has high hopes this Saturday, November 13th 2010, where the competition will be ready and waiting for him.