BY DAN HILDEBRAN
A rising junior at Keystone Heights High School won the Freedom 5K in Keystone Heights on July 4.
Lawtey resident Noah Yara finished the 5K with a time of 17:36.
The member of the high school cross country team said he got his start in competitive racing three years ago after doing well at the 2022 Freedom 5K.
“I actually ran the race here three years ago, and I did pretty well, and people were telling me I could join the cross-country team, so I did,” he said.
Race director Kerry Cooper Collins said 448 people participated in the event, up from 299 the previous year.
“I think it’s the whole day,” Collins said of the surprising turnout. “It’s the arts and crafts. It’s the parade. It’s the ski shows, the Wild West show, the hot dog eating contest, the band, and the fireworks. “I think Keystone is becoming a destination for the Fourth of July.”
Collins said the 2025 edition of the event included a wheelchair division for the first time.
