Though it looks like a classic “How I spent my summer vacation” photo, Hopkins High School sophomore Laura Velderman finished seventh Wednesday in her heat in the open 800-meter run at the National Junior Track and Field championships at Sacramento, Calif.

Her time of 2:26.01 did not qualify her to advance to the semifinal heat.

Regardless, “I had a blast and the experience was phenomenal,” she said.

Her proud mother, who took this photo, noted Laura she was seeded 41st in a field of 52 and finished 31st. She missed her personal record (2:26:00) by 0.01 of a second.

“Considering this is really only the fifth time she has even ran this race (the 800) and it is 97 degrees here and the competition is pretty intense, especially for an unattached athlete (no organized club to train with), we are counting it as a win all the way around!” Renee Murphy Velderman commented.

Interestingly, Velderman, defending O-K Silver Conference cross-country champion, has yet to eclipse the 800-meter school record set last spring by sophomore teammate Emma Helder, who hit the tape in 2:24.67. Velderman also placed ninth in the MHSAA state cross-country Division 3 finals and was a key member of relay teams for the Vikings’ regional champion track and cross-country squads. She qualified for the national USATF meet by taking second in the 800 at the regionals in Ohio earlier this month and just missed qualifying in the 400.