Saturday, June 12, 2010

Kansas tracksters represent nationally

Just because the state track meet is over, it does not mean that Kansas track stars are done for the year. Many of Kansas’ best track athletes competed in the Great Southwest Classic hosted at the University of New Mexico from June 3-5.

The standout performance came from Oliver Bradwell, formerly of Wichita East. Bradwell was ruled ineligible this season, but still competed at a high level. Bradwell ran the nation’s fastest time in the 100-mter dash for a high school age student. He clocked a time of 10.34. Second place in that race went to Valley Center’s Joe Fisher and his 10.44.

The Kansas State record is 10.35 by Mark Pickens of Topeka West. I will have to check to see if this qualifies as a new Kansas record or not.

The two star sprinters also went 1-2 in the 200 with Bradwell going 20.99 and Fisher clocking a 21.17. Both times were technically wind aided as they were 0.2 miles per hour above the legal limit. All-time Bradwell’s mark ranks as third-best ever.

Bradwell and Fisher then made up two of the four legs of a 400-meter relay that won by a full second with a time of 40.66 seconds. If that was a legal high school relay team in Kansas, that time would have destroyed the all-time Kansas record of 41.63 by KC Washington back in 1991.

Bradwell was named the meet MVP on the track.

Other athletes that represented Kansas well were Reid Buchanan of Manhattan finishing second in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:56.35. Bishop Carroll sophomore David Thor finished fifth behind four seniors in the 1500 with a time of 4:09.74. Neil Metler of Derby finished 5th in the 3200 with a time of 9:40.57.

On the girls side, Le’Tristan Pledger of KC Washington was the star. She was also named MVP on the track for girls. She tied for first in the long jump, but took second on a jump off with a leap of 19-feet and nine inches. Wichita Southeast’s Dana Gates went 19-4 for fourth place. Pledger then won the 100-hurdles by half a second with a time of 13.82 seconds. She then helped out on the champion 400 relay team that ran a time of 47.19. That 47.19 would beat the all-time Kansas record.

Jamie House of El Dorado vaulted 12-feet even to take fourth in her event. Wichita Southeast’s Aarian Tipton finished sixth in the 100 dash and 200 dash. Maize’s Dani Walker was fifth in the 1500 with a time of 4:58.76. Wichita North’s Amber Eichkorn, Walker, Valley Center’s Morgan Wedekind and Kapaun’s Mackenzie Maki combined to run a 3200-meter relay time of 9:43.29 and finish third.

In the field, Erica Brand and Kersten Peoples swept the Discus. Brand also took home third in the shot put.

EDIT (JUNE 14) - The All-Time Leaderboards are uploaded in the track rankings section. Carol Swenson counts Oliver Bradwell's 10.34 as the all-time best 100-dash time in Kansas. Joe Fisher also moves up the rankings. Just an idea of how stellar that 10.34 is, two NCAA Division I finalists in the 100 dash final did not break 10.34. Here is the updated list: All Time Best Marks in Kansas History

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kaelyn Balch, freshman, from Bishop Carrol also competed in the 3200. Still returning from a tibial stress racture she ran 12:11 and finished 11th.

Chris Parker said...

Anonymous - I saw that and to be honest I am a little surprised she is still competing. I figured after state they would be cautious and get her ready for cross, but still a great story to be running solid times despite being out as long as she was.

Anonymous said...

Top 2 Mile for Kansas Boys was run at the Midwest Distance Gala on June 12th at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. James Wilson placed 15th. 9:23.14 and 9:19.80 FAT 3200m.

http://alltraxtiming.homestead.com/distance_gala_splits.htm

Anonymous said...

In the updated all-time rankings list, anyone know why Oliver Bradwell is noted as from Junction City?

Chris Parker said...

Anonymous - The correction has been made to the All-Time list.