Milesplit Mississippi Future Stars features East Rankin's Jewel Baker

In this week's edition of Milesplit Mississippi Future Stars, we are highlighting Jewel Baker of East Ranking Academy!

Baker is a sixth-grade distance runner who is already making waves in the running community. She collected two wins in her 2023 season and played a monumental role in securing East Rankin's MAIS 5A Team Title.

 Despite being in the sixth grade, Baker only raced two JV races and acquired a two-mile record of 13:23. Instead of dominating the middle school scene, she took to the varsity courses and ran a 20:08 in the 5000m race. At the MAIS Overall XC Meet, she placed third on the East Rankin squad and was a key factor in their victory that day. East Rankin Academy beat out Simpson Academy by two points for the team title, a feat that could not have been accomplished without Jewel Baker.

Baker's talent and hard work made her the fastest sixth-grader in the state this year, and the second fastest sixth-grader to ever touch the 5000m race in Mississippi. Outside of Mississippi, she is ranked as the fourth fastest sixth-grader in the nation for the 5000m.

Be on the lookout for Jewel Baker in the coming years, as her running career is just getting started.