Runners rise to the top of Santa Clarita sports in 2012

Runners took center stage in the Santa Clarita sports world in 2012. From the Summer Olympics in London to Central Park in Saugus, cross country and track runners were celebrated. Allyson Felix won three gold medals in London. The Saugus girls cross country team won their seventh CIF state championship in a row. Chris Low from College of the Canyons won a state title in track. John Gilbertson from The Master’s College won a national championship in cross country.

But cross country and track and field were not the only sports that athletes from the Santa Clarita Valley excelled. A receiver from Canyon High broke two state football records. A golfer from Valencia High qualified for her third US Women’s Open. The fire captain at Station 76 in Valencia won an IHRA drag racing event.

Here is a look at the top sports stories of the year:

Carmelita Jeter shares Olympic dreams, experiences with YMCA

Three-time Olympic medalist Carmelita Jeter wanted to play on the United States women's basketball team. Instead, she ran on the US women's track team and became one the top sprinters in the world at the London Summer Games.
Jeter won a gold medal on the world-record breaking 4x100 relay team. She won silver in the 100 and bronze in the 100.
As part of the Team for Tomorrow programs, Jeter shared her Olympic medals and experiences with the Torrance-South Bay YMCA.
Jeter ran track at nearby California State University, Dominguez Hills and at Bishop Montgomery in Torrance in high school.
She plans on competing in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 2016.
For  more on Jeter and her visit to the YMCA, visit the Team USA website.

Photo: Carmelita Jeter shows the kids at the Torrance-South Bay YMCA the medals she won at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. (Credit: Tim Haddock)

Carmelita Jeter visits Torrance-South Bay YMCA

Three-time Olympic medalist Carmelita Jeter visited the Torrance-South Bay YMCA on Friday night. She went to Cal State Dominguez Hills and Bishop Montgomery High School. Jeter was on the 4x100 relay team that won the gold medal and set the world record at the Summer Games in London. She also won the silver medal in the 100 meters and the bronze medal in the 200 meters. (Credit: Tim Haddock)