Barrington's Annika Kelly is a national champion.

The recent Barrington High School graduate finished first in the hammer throw event at last weekend's New Balance Nationals Outdoor at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, N.C. 

Competing on Sunday, June 16, Annika had a top throw of 56.49 meters (185 feet, 4 inches), which was more than five meters longer than the second place finisher. 

The first place finish at high school nationals is the most recent in a line of impressive feats for Annika. At the state track championship earlier this month, Annika set a new state meet record when she threw the hammer 189 feet, 9 inches, for a first place finish. (She also captured second place in the discus event with a distance of 117 feet, 4 inches.)

At the Knights of Columbus Relays earlier this spring, Annika set a then-school record in the hammer with a throw of 182 feet, 11 inches. (She also holds the school record in the indoor weight throw.)

And last summer, Annika competed in the Estonia U18 National Championships in Rakvere, Estonia, setting a new U18 Estonian record in the 3 kilogram hammer with a distance of 205 feet, 3 inches.

As an eighth-grader in 2015, Annika competed in the Emerging Elite category for the hammer throw at nationals and finished sixth overall. Annika was one of only two eighth-graders competing out of a field of 47 throwers.

Annika's older brother, Adam Kelly, also won a national championship in the hammer throw during his senior season at BHS. He then attended Princeton University and was a standout member of the Tigers' track team. 

Annika will attend Princeton in the fall.

Other Eagles to compete at nationals

• Barrington's William Cauley finished 20th in the boys hammer throw event at nationals, finishing with a top distance of 53.82 meters. 

• Madison McGloin, a student at Barrington Christian Academy, finished 13th in the girls hammer throw event with a distance of 47.16 meters. 

• Barrington's Sydney Polando finished 30th in the girls hammer throw with a distance of 38.74 meters.

• Barrington's Mackenzie Stephen finished 10th in the girls Emetrging Elite division with a distance of 129 feet. 

• Brendan Fay finished ninth in the Emerging Elite mile. 

• The 4x1-mile relay team of Stephanie Chun, Meghan Zitzmann, Lindsay Turgeon and Caroline Livingston finished 21st.