By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp
What once began as a meet for two teams to earn a national qualifying performance has grown over the years to become a destination meet that athletes all over the northeast use as a final chance to qualify for nationals before the championships where they often have to double and triple for team points. The 17th Danbury Dream Invitational is a short two and a half hour meet held at Danbury High that will take place on Saturday with the track events scheduled to go off at 6:30 pm.
The boys 800m is like a coming out party for a pair of great Ridgefield runners. Charles Lovett and Magnus Manley are incredibly accomplished in the relays and were half of the New England record 4 x 800m this winter. But they rarely run the two lap race without a baton in their hand. Off a hot pace, the state lead of 1:54.73 could be lowered on Saturday. But the pair will have to face defending State Open champion Tom Conklin of Lyman Hall who likes to come from behind and has a blazing kick. It will be a classic battle between strength versus speed. But the field is much deeper than just these three. Sam Leone is scheduled to cross the state from East Lyme to lower his 800m PR. He is the New England mile champion this indoor season and should be able to lower his 1:56.6 800m PR. Danbury’s Kyle Jeffers is an impact player in any race he runs and is the Dream Invite 800m defending champion who also won the Class LL 1600m last year.
Headlining the girls 800m is All New England 1000m Alexandra Morgan of Fairfield Warde. She will have a pacer to keep the pace honest if she decides to run the event. She is also entered in the mile and there is a little over an hour between events which will make a high level double tough to do.
There could be a story of redemption in the boy’s mile. Soon after his school record 2-mile at New Balance Nationals Indoor, Xavier’s Owen Martin was diagnosed with a stress fracture. The senior who has earned All American honors multiple times in relays and comes in with a 4:14 mile PR has started training a few weeks ago. The Falcon has already run two dual meets but this will be his first big effort of the season. He will face long time rival Sean McCauley of East Lyme who was the State Open runner up in the 3200m and has a 4:17 1600m PR. Danbury’s Michael Komisky hasn’t raced much this season, but is the defending champion in this event. Earlier this…
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