Austin Roark of Johnson City was honored as the most outstanding track & field athlete at the 64th annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games this past week in Linville, N.C.
Roark, who competes for the Milligan College track & field program, won the 220-yard dash, the 440-yard dash and the long jump. He also finished second in the 100-yard dash and third in the high jump to cap off an impressive performance.
Roark narrowly missed out on winning the 100-yard dash, which would have given him a sweep of the sprints. Samuel Cleek of Kingsport won the event with a time of 10.82, good enough to edge Roark by one hundredth of a second.
The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games takes place in conjunction with a gathering of Scottish Clans. The event aims to foster and restore interest in traditional dancing, piping, drumming, athletic achievement, music and Gaelic culture.
In other action, Chambers of Johnson City won the women’s two-mile run and finished second in the women’s 220-yard dash. Devin McKenna of Jonesborough finished third in the men’s pole vault and Johnson City’s Joshua Gregory came home second in the men’s masters mile run.
