CAMP BLANDING – A 2016 graduate of Fleming Island High School and a standout cross country and track athlete, 19 year old Abby Millson battled throughout her high school athletic career with juvenile rheumatoid athritis almost on a daily basis.

“I was taking shots almost on a daily basis for the pain in my joints and I still manage the pain on bad days,” said Millson, who was joined in the Hammerhead Sprint Triathlon (quarter mile swim, 12 mile bike, 3.1 mile run) Sunday at Camp Blanding on Sunday as a return to her athletic endeavors and a family tradition continued. “My dad has always done this race over the years and I always volunteered. I told him about a year ago that I wanted to do the triathlon.”

Jay Millson, 47, and a long time area triathlete and ultra-distance runner, was a bit overwhelmed at seeing his daughter progress to being on the course with him.

“I am just hoping she is not faster than me today,” said Millson, an Orange Park High graduate and former football kicker. “She has trained hard and we have even trained together a couple of times. I’m old and beat up and she’s young and fresh. I hope I can keep up.”

For the race, father Millson prevailed with a 12th place overall finish, fourth in 45-49, in 1:03:59 while daughter Abby, in 1:14:36, took 44th overall, but a very impressive second in 15-19, to leave the argument at medal status; Abby with a silver; Jay out of the medals.

“I saw him when I was going out on the run and he was coming in,” said Abby Millson, now a student at Florida State University. “He came back and ran a little with me near the finish.”

Overall, Kerry Mowlan, 48, of Ponte Vedra Beach, won the sprint title in 57:02.4 with Nick Hochstein, 36, of Jacksonville, second in 58:11.7 and Jeff Provenzano, 43, of Jacksonville, third in 58:27.2.

For the women, Lydia Hochstein, 30, of Jacksonville, was top femaile in 1;03.58 and 11th overall with master’s veteran Kathlenn Kaye, first master’s and second overall in 1;08.07. Dee Jansen, 48, of Atlantic Beach, was third in 1:08.32.

Area finishers for the sprint race were Aaron Fulgenzi, 28, of Green Cove Springs, who was sixth overall, first in 25-29 in 1:00:11.5; Michael French, 60, of Orange Park, who ws 35th overall, third in 60-64, in Stephen North, 43, of Fleming Island, 52nd overall, seventh in 40-44, in 1:17:14.5; William Saunders, 33, of Orange Park, 62nd overall, seventh in 30-34, in 1:20:29; Evan Amstutz, 22, of Fleming Island, 69th overall, third in 20-24 in 1:21:57.2; Kayleigh McWatters, 13, of Middleburg, 73rd overall, first in 1-14, in 1:22:46; Larry Sage, 54, of Fleming Island, 80th overall, seventh in 50-54, in 1:24:49; Kevin Wagner, 36, of Keystone Heights, 86 overall, seventh in 35-39 in 1:26:30; Scott McLaughlin, 47, of Fleming Island, 91st overall, 10th in 45-49 in 1:28:41; Daniel McWatters, 42, of Middleburg, 95th overall, eighth in 40-44 in 1:30:33; Nancy Strickland, 34, of Orange Park, 97th overall, fourth in 30-34 in 1:30:59; Meredith Forkum, 37, of Orange Park, 103rd overall, fifth in 35-39 in 1:33:30; Marcee Graves, 51, of Middleburg, 112th overall, second in 50-54 in 1:37:08; Robert Lang, 52, 114th overall, 10th in 50-54 in 1:37:25; Christina Callipo, 35, of Orange Park, 116th, sixth in 35-39 in 1:39:09; Charlotte Singletary, 35, of Orange Park, 117th overall, seventh in 35-39 in 1:39:09; Victoria Goulet, 26, of Fleming Island, 124th overall, fourth in 25-29 in 1:44:03; Laura Lang, 50, of Orange Park, 131st overall, fourth in 50-54 in 1:55:09 and Jennifer Conte, 39, of Middleburg, 132nd overall, 10th in 35-39 in 1:55:09.

There were 133 finishers.