FIRECRACKER FAST 5K IN LITTLE ROCK: Men’s race ends in sprint, women’s in rout

The men's winner of the Firecracker Fast 5K on Wednesday was a first-time entrant for the second consecutive year, but the women's winner was unique in the 42-year-old story of Little Rock's Fourth of July road race.

Brydon Groves-Scott, 22, of Greenbrier pulled away in the final strides from a 3-mile duel with Chris Barrientos to finish first among men in 15 minutes, 28.16 seconds. Barrientos, 17, of Bryant, was second in 15:31.98, and Bret O'Meara, 35, of Fayetteville finished third in 16:33.03.

Kaitlin Bounds has autism spectrum disorder, but her condition hardly slowed her down as she won the women's division.

"Everywhere I go, people tell me I'm an inspiration to them, how much I inspire kids with autism and other disabilities," Bounds said.

The women's race was decided far before the finish line. Bounds, 26, of Russellville won in 17:44.18. Tia Stone, 39, of Searcy -- who has won the women's division of the past three Little Rock Marathons -- finished second in 18:17.38. Elizabeth Gillette, 20, of Texarkana was third in 18:26.73.

Bounds represents Team USA in Paralympic track and field. She stood beside her mother Kathy Bounds in shade near the awards tent on the eastern edge of the War Memorial Stadium parking lot. Kathy Bounds echoed her daughter's sentiments.

"When people see Kaitlin, and they realize their child has a chance to be useful as a member of society, it makes it worth it for Kaitlin to be out there," Kathy Bounds said. "I like to remind Kaitlin every day that she represents not only Team USA but all the kids who can't do this. It allows all the kids that have challenges to see that they can be something more."

Kaitlin Bounds said her training has been hampered by foot and knee injuries.

"This was the best I've felt in a while," she said. "I've been injured most of the year, so it was nice to get back outside and run injury free."

For most of the first 2 1/2 miles of the men's race, three runners ran far ahead of the remaining 1,599 entrants, 1,521 of whom would finish. Groves-Scott, Barrientos and Dylan Douglas, 18, of Maumelle began to pull away from the others as they passed the former Heights Theater, a third of a mile from the start on Kavanaugh Boulevard.

Shaun Koehn, winner of the 2016 Firecracker, ran briefly with the lead pack but said he realized in short order that the pace was too much for his current fitness level.

"There was definitely some good competition out there," Koehn said. "I definitely couldn't stay up with the front guys this year."

The trio of frontrunners raced no more than a single stride apart through the first mile in 4:56. They remained together through the long downhill stretch past Mount St. Mary Academy, onto Van Buren Street, and through 2 miles in 9:59. Two hundred yards after they crossed Markham Street into War Memorial Park, Douglas -- winner of the state high school Meet of Champs 3,200-meter run in 2016 and 2017 -- dropped from contention. He would hang on to finish fifth in 16:40.09.

"I probably could've kept going, but I wasn't focused enough, nor did I expect I needed to be," Douglas said. "It was just poor preparation, really."

Groves-Scott, a senior on the University of Alabama in Huntsville cross country and track teams, and Barrientos, about to begin his final seasons of the same for Bryant High School, ran abreast as they turned up the steep quarter-mile uphill stretch along Zoo Drive. They remained together as they reached its peak.

"I was trying to push it up that hill, but he was holding on," Groves-Scott said. "I was hoping to separate, but I could see that wasn't going to happen."

"I was just trying to say, 'No, he's not going to wear me out,' '' Barrientos said. "I just tried to make sure not to slow down too much up that hill."

They turned north on Monroe Street for the final quarter-mile of racing, and as they passed Seventh Street with 150 yards left, both were in full stride. What began as a distance race had become a dead sprint.

At last, Groves-Scott pulled away. He said he did not know what to expect.

"A kick really wasn't what I hoped it would come down to," Groves-Scott said. "The kick is not the strongest factor in my running."

Sports on 07/05/2018