Saints’ Kipyego continues strong summer

Last laurel comes at RITCA Invitational as speedster sets personal record in 400-meter event

PROVIDENCE — You’ve read it here in this publication numerous times, how St. Raphael Academy soon-to-be senior Darius Kipyego keeps getting faster and faster, regardless of the intensity of the competition, and wowing even the top 800-meter specialists in the country.

In his next-to-last sojourn, back on Monday, July 27, at Hall High School in West Hartford, Conn., he took part in the Track Is Back No. 3 Meet and soared to a New England 800-meter record-breaking time of 1:48.82. He also finished sixth in a field of elite professionals, including the heralded Johnny Gregorek of Seekonk.

Kipyego admitted he’s had some stressful meets this spring and summer, so was looking forward to a brief respite during the recently organized RITCA Outdoor Track & Field Invitational Championships at stunningly-refurbished Conley Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

Instead of registering him for his usual 800, head coach Chris Magill wanted him to run the rare 400- and 200-meter events, and – naturally – he excelled once more.

Kipyego captured the 400 in a lifetime-best clocking of 49.34, then accepted runner-up honors behind Mount Pleasant’s Abraham Tambah in the 200, which drew a field of 12. Still, the Saint phenom finished in another PR of 22.58, just .29 behind the

Kilties speedster.

SRA sophomore Pedro Mayol took fourth overall in another personal-best 23.96.

“With Darius, I wanted him to run the 400 and 200 in preparation for Nashville, Tenn. on the 15th of August,” stated Magill of the Music City Distance Carnival. “He’s been doing a lot of strength (conditioning/ distance) training this summer, and we wanted to give him a little work on his foot speed.

“He’s going to have to move if he wants to be competitive, (as) those elite 800 guys all stick around through 600 meters, and the race is really determined on whoever guts it out,” he added. “Those guys are elite athletes, but I wanted to have some fun here; I thought the 400 and 200 would take a little pressure off the day.”

Kipyego explained the move succeeded – in a number of ways.

“He just wanted me to come out and have a good time, and I did,” he said. “I was happy with a PR in the 400. I had run a 50.5 last year, and my goal coming in was to go 49low or 48-high, and I did that. I also wanted to get in some speed work.

“As for the 200, again, it was just getting in a little speed workout. There haven’t been a lot of track meets since this COVID-19 thing has hit, so I knew when I found out I would compete (at Conley Stadium).”

When asked if his continued success and improvement in the face of this pandemic has surprised even himself, he grinned. “Sort of. I wasn’t expecting to achieve some of the goals I have, so that is a little mind-blowing. At the beginning of all this, when the (interscholastic outdoor) season was canceled, I wasn’t sure how everything would be handled. I was questioning myself as to how I’d be running.”

“But this? This is beyond my wildest dreams, at least doing so well so fast and with all this going on,” he continued. “All of the hard work Coach Magill and I have put into it is the reason. We never took a break. We wanted to keep training harder just in case that some meets opened up, and they did.

“I think that first race of the season (a time trial against friend and rival Connor Murphy of Classical at Providence College in May) gave me a little (confidence) boost, as did going to Arizona and placing third. I only went 1:51-high, but I flew in the night before; still, no excuses.

“I’m definitely read for Nashville. Speed was something we haven’t really focused on, so I needed this. Through COVID-19 and the quarantine, we’ve been doing a ton of distance.”

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Kipyego wasn’t the only Saints representative to excel at this event, one assembled by Classical High Athletic Director Bob Palazzo and several other coaches and state officials.

He explained that this was no designed to replace the R.I. outdoor championships slated for the first Saturday in June, but a chance for athletes to compete for RITCA All-State status.

Unfortunately, Saints’ sophomore Pedro Mayol just missed in the 200 with a fourthplace finish, but could bask in the pleasure of achieving a best-ever time of 23.96.

“I’m surprised – and psyched; my previous PR was 24.9,” said Mayol. “We’ve been training for cross-country, like six-eight miles a day six days a week, and I just wanted to see what my speed was at this point in time. I exceeded my expectations, no doubt. I mean, 23.96? I’ve never broken 24 before, so that’s amazing. I never expected it. I usually run the 400 and 800.

“Coach had asked me beforehand, ‘Why not try the 200?’ I’m glad I did; it raises my confidence.”

Magill has seen that, and improvement, since Mayol’s freshman fall cross-country campaign.

“(Thursday), it was just Pedro’s talent,” he said. “He had a couple of weeks off due to a medical issue, but once we get him to full speed ahead, he’s going to be an elite runner. We kept him in the 200 rather than the 400 because we needed to work on foot speed.

“This was about giving the kids break from their usual specialties and have some fun,” he added. “In the 200, we took second and fourth, so that’s not bad for a school that usually isn’t looked upon as one with strong sprinters.”

The only other SRA male, junior Josh Farrell, didn’t seem to thrilled after placing seventh (or out of the top-six medal count) in the long jump, but claimed thrill with a sixth in the 300 intermediate hurdles (PR of 52.19).

“I only went 15-10 ¾ in the long jump, so I was a whole foot off (a PR),” he noted. “It was really rough without having any (jumping) training. I’ve been running about 30 miles a week, so I’m much more thrilled with the 300 hurdles. It’s only the second time in my life I’ve done it. I’m happy I got a PR, but I’m happier I got in one outdoor meet before cross-country starts.”

Two other teammates, junior Valeria Uribe and sophomore Tyla Forbes, also recorded top-six placements, as Uribe mustered third in the 400 (1:06.59) and Forbes fourth in the 800 (2:44.43).

“I applaud those two girls for doing an amazing job,” Magill stated. “For not having a season but training through COVID anyway, they’ve worked so hard and deserve this. Those two girls are absolutely fantastic. They work hard, they’re polite and they’re awesome role models for our school.

“Val has made outstanding strides,” he added. “I think something kicked in during the quarantine, and I don’t know if it was just a lack of having something to do, but she really has taken a liking to running. She’s getting better and better each day.

“And Tyla, she’s such a great girl to coach; she’s always thanking me after every practice, which you know doesn’t happen very often to a coach. Plus, in her race, she hit every split. I told her where to be at each 200 mark, and she was where she should’ve been or faster.

“Every single performance here for St. Ray’s ws pretty cool to see, considering we didn’t have a season.” RITCA OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Thursday - At Conley Stadium

Area results

BOYS

400m – 1. Darius Kipyego (SRA) 49.34; 2. Owen

Molis (CUMB) 53.62.

200m – 1. Kipyego (SRA) 22.58; 4. Pedro Mayol

(SRA) 23.96.

800m – 1. Ethan Carpenter (CUMB) 2:02.49. 3,000m – 1. Connor Murphy (CL) 8:49.76; 2. Henry Dennen (CUMB) 9:13.56.

300m hurdles – 6. Josh Farrell (SRA) 52.19. High jump – 2. Molis (CUMB) 6-0.

Long jump – 7. Farrell (SRA) 15-10 ¾.

GIRLS

400m – 3. Valeria Uribe (SRA) 1:06.59.

800m – 4. Tyla Forbes (SRA) 2:44.43.