Ricks surges past Sahlman 1:49.19 to 1:50.86 in 800 showdown, Spradling leads six sub-9 efforts in 3,200 with 8:51.62 performance and Engelhardt clocks 4:41.06 in the girls mile; Avilez, Jeanneret and Seymour are also invitational winners
By Pete Marshall for DyeStat
AZUSA, Calif. – A track and field meet consisting solely of distance races is designed to get elite results.
Saturday night’s Meet of Champions Distance Classic at chilly Azusa Pacific University accomplished that goal.
New state season bests were posted in four of the six events held Saturday, highlighted by the boys 800 meters, in addition to the mile and 3,200 meters, as well as the girls mile.
The boys invitational 800 not only featured six runners under 1 minute, 52 seconds, but Long Beach Poly junior Xai Ricks came from behind to beat previous national leader Aaron Sahlman of Newbury Park, 1:49.19 to 1:50.86.
Ricks’ time was more than four seconds better than his previous PR, set just last week at the Laguna Beach Trophy Invitational.
“I was trying to stay within striking distance (of Sahlman),” Ricks said. “And try to close out in the last 200. I know he’s a good runner.”
Sahlman, a Northern Arizona-bound senior, said he just didn’t have enough kick in the final half lap.
“I wanted to take it out fast,” Sahlman said. “Try to dust everyone else and finish the best I could. I ran a 51-low first lap. I just couldn’t close out and my legs started dying out the last lap. I got second. That’s not bad.”
Sahlman feels he might need to work on his speed a little bit, but next time might also not go so fast in the first lap.
“Maybe not take it out 51 in the first lap, maybe take it out, 53, 54 and just cut down from there,” he said. “I can’t lead all the time if I want to run a PR. I need someone to take out the first lap and I can just sit behind him then kick the last lap.”
A year ago in the same meet, Sahlman set his PR in the event with a 1:48.91, finishing second to his older brother, Colin.
Sahlman’s teammate, Newbury Park senior Brayden Seymour, not only had a lifetime-best mark in the mile, but was also victorious, as his time of 4:08.67 shattered the state’s season best and his own PR, improving on his previous top mark of 4:11.07 from last year’s New Balance Nationals Outdoor meet in Philadelphia.
Seymour was edged by a 4:09.27 to 4:09.33 margin March 4 against Cathedral’s Emmanuel Perez in a thrilling 1,600…
CLICK HERE to Read the Full Original Article at RunnerSpace News…