AURORA | Kyle Ames took a look over his shoulder as he neared the finish line Thursday and felt relief.

A year after coming in two seconds behind teammate Quin Erickson, the Smoky Hill junior pulled away in the last 800 meters to win the Aurora City Cross Country Championship boys race at the Aurora Sports Park.

Ames won the boys race, Rangeview junior Rikki Gonzales easily won her second straight city title and the Smoky hill boys and girls swept the team titles at the 30th annual event.

“I always look back because some people have great closing speed; I guess it’s a nervous thing,” said Ames, who clocked a time of 16 minutes, 56.99 seconds. “In the last 100 I knew I just had to finish. I’ve wanted this for two years, so this is the realization of that dream.”