Good Sports: Clovis Community runner learning from one of the best

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Asking Rhiannon Walker to tally with her medals is simply a dense task.

Last season, the Fresno High grad brought Clovis Community College its first-ever authorities title successful immoderate athletics by winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Now, Walker is simply a four-time authorities champ, astir precocious defending her steeplechase rubric and taking location golden successful the 10,000-meter astatine this month's 3C2A championships.

"My coach, CJ, knew I could triumph it, truthful helium wanted to beryllium maine successful it and triumph it," she said.

Coach CJ is nonrecreational long-distance runner and 50k satellite grounds holder, CJ Albertson.

RELATED: C.J. Albertson the apical American finisher astatine the 2024 Boston Marathon

"Yeah, I'm conscionable different idiosyncratic -- I'm their coach," helium said.

When he's not grooming for marathons astir the satellite successful what helium calls his homemade chickenhearted coop, the erstwhile Buchanan prima is the caput manager for Clovis Community's transverse state and way team.

"It's truly rather astonishing due to the fact that helium has done truthful overmuch and had specified a bully career, but he's truthful humble astir it," Walker said.

The Walker-Albertson transportation astir didn't happen.

Coming retired of Fresno High, Rhiannon committed to Fresno State.

"I virtually accepted my application, and helium (CJ) sent a precise agelong substance connected wherefore I should not spell there, discarded my money, each the things," she said.

"For immoderate reason, I felt similar I had this gut feeling of, 'No, you should travel here. I deliberation you'll bash well.'"

Albertson's gut feeling worked, and Walker has gone connected to go the school's astir decorated athlete.

"It was the champion determination due to the fact that I trained nether 1 of the champion runners ever," Walker said.

With a big of medals astir her neck, Albertson says Rhiannon serves arsenic the program's shining illustration of what's possible.

"Even if you don't win, adjacent if you're not a four-time authorities champion, this is inactive a large spot to come," helium said.

With records successful manus and her JUCO eligibility coming to a close, Rhiannon present looks to marque past astatine Fresno State.

The sophomore erstwhile again committed to being a Bulldog, thing adjacent an Albertson telephone telephone can't halt this clip around.

"I deliberation there's thing astir being from the Valley, staying successful the Valley and making past successful the Valley," she said.

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