By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp
There is a new trend in high school track that involve speciality meets that conduct very few events, usually in the same disciple like throws or distance. The distance meets are especially exciting because runners of similar abilities can push each other to fast times and the top runners can all come together in a highly competitive environment complete with music and swag for setting PRs. This weekend CT athletes traveled to Ichan Stadium on Randall’s Island in Manhattan on Friday and Ridgefield High on Saturday to pop off some of the best performances in state history.
Trials of Miles
Icahn Stadium, Randall’s Island, NY US
If it is a weekend, Kate Bohlke is setting a PR. This time, the Newington senior traveled to New York City where she finished in 4th place in the Trials of Miles meet in a time of 4:42.69. Her time wasn’t just a personal record, it tied the Connecticut State 1-mile record held by Greenwich’s Ceci Hopp who ran a hand time of 4:42.6 at Eastern States in 1981. Among record keepers it is a generally accepted practice to list both on the record board when a hand time and fully automatic time are so close. The race was won by Zariel Macchia of William Flyod High, the Northeast Foot Locker Cross Country champion in 4:41.37.
Other CT girls who ran impressively were Glastonbury’s Brooke Strauss who took 10th in 4:52.10 with Tess Sherry of Conard four places behind in 4:54.15. Greenwich’s Kate Friedman made the short trip down I-95 to take 18th in 5:01.88.
Defending State Open 800m champion Daniel Coyne of Simsbury finished 10th in the state leading time of 1:55.09. The girls 800m was even more interesting for fans of CT track and field with three athletes finishing in the top ten. Liv Sherry took 6th in 2:12.19, with defending State Open 3200m champion Chase Gilbert of Old Lyme showing off her speed finishing two places back in 2:12.85. Greenwich’s Esme Daplyn, fresh off her cross country trip to the Oregon Relays two weeks ago, took 19th in 2:14.04.
The only CT boy that was invited to compete in the selected mile field was Newtown’s Soheib Dissa. He has been dealing with an injury early in the season and he is gradually coming back. Worry not for the state record holder in the 2000m steeplechase, because he has already run a 1:57.3 for 800m in a dual meet in his first race back.
Fast Times at Ridgefield High-The…
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