Running every day can be both mentally and physically challenging. Although girl’s cross country athlete Yiwen Chen is just a sophomore, she has proven just how strong of a runner she is.

Yiwen is the fastest girl in all of the San Gabriel Mission Valley League scoring first in all her races. “Ywien is a multi-talented girl. She went from being number 5 to being our number 1 girl this year. Most of her growth came from winter training and track practice but she also just put in a monstrous summer. ” said Cross Country Coach, Bryon Hake.

Yiwen is a very competitive runner, she always aims to do her absolute best in every race she has done. Throughout her races, she pushes herself to finish and get a good score for her team. “Pain is temporary but the feeling of accomplishment is forever, so push through past your limits and show everyone what you’re capable of,” said Yiwen Chen.

Juggling sports with homework can be difficult for many reasons, such as not having enough time or being too tired to complete your tasks. Yiwen does not only have to do homework but also participate in band practices. “I wanted to make sure she got recognized because of how good she is not just at Arroyo but even just in the southwest San Gabriel Valley. Some people think if you’re in band you can’t do anything else, truth of the matter is we have smart people in band who do good in school, and in sports all while being in band and Ywien is one of those smart people,” said Coach Bryon Hake. This can show how much dedication Yiwen has towards her education all while being the number one girl in her entire league. 

“I feel so honored to be selected for athlete of the month for cross country especially when I’m surrounded with so many talented and hardworking individuals,” said Yiwen Chen.