BRADENTON -- Canaan Meester-Kitterman says he is back.

Anyone who was at the inaugural IMG Academy Cross Country Invitational would find it hard to dispute the Bayshore High standout.

After a slow start this season, Meester-Kitterman won the boys race and was the only runner to finish under 17 minutes, crossing the line in 16:59.30.

Meester-Kitterman changed his training during the summer, gearing for more short-distance running and says it hurt him for the 3.1-mile cross-country events.