National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame to Induct Shawanna White

ATLANTA - June 24, 2021 - PRLog -- The National Black Marathoners Association is pleased to announce the induction of Atlanta native Shawanna White into the National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame. The induction banquet and ceremony will be held during the National Black Marathoners Association's Annual Summit at Cincinnati's Fly Pig Marathon Weekend on Saturday, April 30, 2022.

"We're looking forward to inducting this seven-time marathon winner into the hall of fame," says NBMA Executive Director Tony Reed. "She's run more sub-three hour marathons than any other US-born, African-American woman. This 1998 graduate from D. M. Therrell High School had placed fifth in 3A state for 800 meters as a senior and earned the 1997-1998 Coca Cola Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in Academics and Athletic Performance. At the University of West Georgia, she was a four-time All Gulf- South Conference Athlete for cross-country and placed 2nd in Gulf-South Conference in 2001 for cross-country before graduating in 2004. After college, she continued her athletic pursuits in South Carolina where she was ranked as the Top 25 Female Runner of All Time (#12). She's also the state's record holder in the 40 to 44 year old age group for 5K (17:28) and 15K (55:03), the two-time USATF South Carolina Runner of the Year (2016 & 2017), and the 2020 USATF Masters South Carolina Runner of the Year."

Shawanna has been teaching for fifteen years. She previously coached youth track (7-13) at DATE Academy for eight years and is currently a physical education teacher at St. Matthews K through 8^th grades. Shawanna says, "I am grateful to receive this honor and I hope it inspires more Black Americans to take up distance running."

Previously announced inductee is Michele Cuke. Additional inductees will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

About the National Black Marathoners Association

The National Black Marathoners' Association (NBMA) is the largest and oldest nonprofit organization in the U.S. dedicated to encouraging African Americans and others to pursue a healthy lifestyle through distance running and walking, as well as awarding college scholarships to deserving high school distance runners. It is open to everyone, regardless of his or her athletic ability, ethnic background, or previous marathon experience. The NBMA hosts an annual multi-race summit. Previous races and locations have been Lewis & Clark (St. Charles, MO), New Jersey (Long Branch, NJ), Cleveland (OH), Lost Dutchman (Apache Junction, AZ), Cowtown (Fort Worth, TX), Georgia (Atlanta), Bermuda International Race Weekend, Deadwood-Michelson (Deadwood, SD), Madison (WI), Richmond (VA), Windermere (Spokane, WA), Dallas, Columbus (OH), and the Go! St. Louis, Baltimore Running Festival, and Little Rock Marathons.

For more information, visit www.BlackMarathoners.org.